Til Kingdom Come
by mytraitorousheart
Summary: AU/AH Sometimes life gives us clues to the future that we hold. Sometimes that future is not what we have planned, but it turns out being so much better. Klaus and Caroline, two neighbors with two separate lives, both in need of redemption. Whilst he hides his growing feelings for her, she denies hers in an effort to save her engagement to another man.
1. Darkest Before The Dawn

**So I have wanting to write a Klaroline story for quite a while and for the first time, I have time, means and inspiration. Let me know if you enjoy it.**

**Disclaimer: Unfortunately I don't own The Vampire Diaries or Klaus, sigh.**

* * *

The guilt of the situation seemed to claw at him from all sides. The walls of the waiting room boxing him in as the voices inside his head shouted that it was all his fault. Why does bad things keep happening to those that he loved? Why did he leave the party so early? Why didn't he let Hendrik gets a lift with Elijah? Each one of these questions jarring at him as he dropped his head into his hands.

It was Rebekah's Sweet Sixteenth birthday party and of course his parents, Mikhael and Esther, gave her a bash that rivaled anything that MTV would dare to broadcast. With the 1920s as her theme, Rebekah was in her element with 100 of her closest friends dressed up as Daisy Buchanan's and Jay Gatsby's. Klaus always admired her class and her ability to demand attention that was why she was his favourite sibling. Klaus sat with his brothers – Elijah, Kol and Hendrik in one of the private rooms in the warehouse-turned-club that Rebekah had selected for this auspicious occasion. Finn, their oldest brother, was already married and having wished Rebekah happy birthday and bought her a gift saw no interest in staying around a teenage birthday party.

"So Niklaus how are the studies going?" Elijah attempted to make conversation.

"I suppose they're going well, I'm passing, that's important."

"I would hope so, I'd hate to think that Kol was starting to rub off on you"

"Ouch," Kol interjected, "I do pass! I'm going to graduate at the end of the semester"

"In what, skipping class?" Klaus responded.

"You should talk Nik," Kol retorted, "I know all you do is shag Tatia. I suppose your degree is going to be Masters in The Curve of Tatia's –"

"That's enough Kol!" Elijah exclaimed as he saw Klaus' face begin to contort in anger, "Do you constantly have to be so uncouth?"

"So my brothers have become bores, I'm going to find me some entertainment," Kol said whilst gesturing to the many flapper girls dancing suggestively, obviously not accustomed to the Charleston.

"I swear he gets worse everyday," Klaus complained as Kol left the room.

"He isn't so bad," Hendrik said softly, 'He just feels he needs to prove himself when you guys are around."

"Aah Hendrik, so much wiser then the rest of us," Klaus said as he poured himself another glass of wine, "We sometimes forget that you still have to live with the pain that is Kol, don't worry when he's off at college, you'll be the man of the house. I don't count Mikhael."

"So how is the lovely Tatia?" said Elijah swiftly trying to change the subject.

"She's good, still busy with her philosophy degree, claims she's going to be the next Plato."

"I'm so glad to see you happy and settled, Niklaus"

"Now all we need to do is find a good shag for you before you complete your business degree."

"Just because I do not brag about the women that I have been with, like yourself and Kol, does not mean it doesn't happen."

"Elijah, you dog, Hendrik are you listening to this? Do you have a recording device on you that we can keep this as proof?"

"And I think that is my cue to leave, it has been fun catching up with you Niklaus," Elijah said as he got up and put on his overcoat, "Hendrik, would you like a lift home?"

"No, I'll take Hendrik home, I need someone to stay with me in case Rebekah wonders where her beloved brothers are," Klaus answered, "Have fun picking up women with your impeccable table manners and fountain of knowledge about the stock market."

Elijah gave a non-committal wave as he left the club.

"It's just you and me now, mate," Klaus said to Hendrik as he sipped on his glass of wine, "So are there any girls that you fancy now that you're almost in high school?"

"Uh I suppose there's this one girl, April Young, in my class, she's pretty but I don't think she'll ever notice me, lots of boys like her," Hendrik confessed shyly.

"Well lots of boys aren't Mikhaelson men, we were born with a woman-charming gene in our bodies. Look, even Finn, dullard that he is managed to find a ready and willing wife. Women are just waiting to be charmed by us. Stick with me, we'll have this April girl by the end of the month."

Hendrik just laughed and shook his head.

Klaus' phone buzzed in his pocket with a message from Tatia.

"Come on Hendrik, let's go find Rebekah so we can leave before Tatia gets bored waiting for me and starts studying again."

* * *

The night keeps replaying in his head. The deafening sound of the car that came out of nowhere and smashed into the passenger side of Klaus' vehicle. The memory of Hendrik's screams tormenting him. He knew that he only had a couple of minutes before the rest of his family arrived and the blame game started. He couldn't help feeling responsible, even though the police officer on the scene said the driver in the other vehicle was drunk. He knew this day would haunt him for the rest of his life, he just prayed to some unknown god that Hendrik would survive this ordeal, he wouldn't know how to live with himself if he didn't. He couldn't imagine a world without his younger brother. Tears he didn't know he was holding back started pouring down.

He sat down on the nearest chair, suddenly exhausted from all the emotions fighting for dominance when he noticed he had sat on something square and hard. He pulled the book from under him, it was a paperback called 'Dear John' by Nicholas Sparks. With a picture of a generic young couple on the cover, he figured it was a trivial romance book that some women had forgotten at the hospital but he cracked open the cover to provide some form of distraction.

When he opened the book, a page fell onto the sparkly clean floor of the waiting room. Klaus could see it was a letter, evidently written by a teenage girl with the loopy handwriting and the 'i's doted with hearts. As the owner and letter was not around, Klaus began to read the letter:

_Hey Dad,_

_So sorry to hear about Steven's accident. I wish I could come up and visit him in hospital but it's slap bang in the middle of senior year and I'm really busy organizing Prom, studying for finals and with cheerleading practice (see the picture of Mystic Falls High's Head Cheerleader, yours truly). But I'm sure his leg will get better real soon. Tell him I send my love and I say he needs to make sure the ladder is stable next time he climbs on to the roof. _

_I figured you'd be pretty bored waiting for Steven to get out of hospital so I sent you my new favorite book, Dear John. It is very girly and romantic, like you know I like it, but if it doesn't make you cry our next lunch is on me. So Dad, I've been chatting to Steven about some of your 'issues' regarding our relationship and I know how you tend to read too much into things, so I would just like to tell you that I did not send you this book because John has a tumultuous relationship with his dad! I sent it because I like the book, ok? And because I thought it would provide a nice distraction for you before your mind starts working overtime thinking about how Steven's accident was your fault. That you should have checked the ladder, or hired to someone to fix the roof etc. You have to stop doing this! Not everything is your fault. Some things happen in life which we have no control over whatsoever. Life throws us curveballs, we make mistakes, tragedies happen and many times we are the consequences of other people's choices. So stop wallowing and start showing that beautiful smile. You are an amazing Dad and through everything that has happened, my respect for you will never change and I would never blame you for the hectic shift in our family life because I love you and your happiness is just as important to me as all the prom dresses in the world. Haha. I had to lighten up the end of this letter._

_I love you always_

_Stay strong!_

_Love your favorite/only daughter,_

_Caroline_

_P.S. If you want to know how I became so wise, it is a combination of having two amazing parents and copious amounts of Dr. Phil and Oprah._

Klaus tucked the letter back inside the cover of the book and pulled out the photograph of the author of the letter. It was a teenage girl around about seventeen or eighteen. Long tumbling blonde hair shaped her strikingly beautiful face. She had a captivating smile that seemed to emanate a form of inner happiness and light that Klaus was not familiar with. Even though her perfect body was draped in a short and tight cheerleading uniform, he could not stop looking at her eyes in the image. Eyes that revealed someone who has seen more than their fair share of sadness and heartbreak but still she did not lose hope. Klaus could shrug it off as naivety but there were unspoken truths in this girl's eyes as if the gods had let her in on some ancient secret that no matter how unbearable life is that the bad times will end and it is worth sticking it through.

Klaus shook at his head at the sentimentality he was drawing from one letter and picture of a teenage girl that he did not know. But he still pocketed them; he had a feeling things were going to get a lot worse.

* * *

_5 years later_

He woke up with a jolt. The night of Hendrik's death revisited him in a nightmare again. He looked over at his bedside clock, 8am. Sleep had become a luxury. He usually worked overtime until early hours of the morning, which meant that he was overtired, and the nightmares weren't as frequent. This was the rare Saturday in which he did not need to work and he had allowed himself to sleep longer than usual.

"Babe, where are you? Is it the door at the end of the passage?" a loud voice outside his apartment interrupted his musings.

A muffled voice responded to the dulcet-toned, heavy-footed male outside of his door.

Klaus knew that the apartment down the hall from his was empty after the couple that lived there got married and moved to the suburbs. He assumed that the shuffling outside was due to the new tenants moving in.

"Why do you have so much stuff?" the voice once again exclaimed, "You should've hired a moving company."

Klaus figured as he was already awake he might as well help out the disembodied voice before he wakes up the rest of the building. He took a quick shower and pulled on a T-shirt, sweat pants and shoes and left his apartment. A broad-shouldered brunette man was heaving a large box into the formerly vacant apartment down the hall. Klaus figured he must be the owner of the voice that had echoed through this room.

"Hey mate, I'm Klaus, I live at number 107. Are you moving in here?"

"Hey. Tyler. No, I'm just helping my fiancé move in. She wants to be all independent before we tie the knot. She's just in the shower at the moment. The one box that she carried apparently made too sweaty to carry on without a shower."

"I wanted to ask do you need some help carrying the stuff up?"

"Ya thanks man. I shudder to think how long it would take me to get all her stuff up. I still have an appointment to get to."

Between Tyler and Klaus they managed to get the reminder of the boxes up in half the time it would have taken one man. Once the last box hauled up in the apartment, Tyler remarked, "Seriously man, I can't thank you enough. You saved me time and probably a future of back problems."

"Haha don't mention it, mate. I'm happy to help."

"Well I need to be on my way. Let me just call the future Mrs out and then you can meet her. Hey Care. I'm going to be on my way. Come say goodbye and let me introduce me to your new neighbor who helped me carry all your unnecessary junk up."

"I'll have you know, that the only junk I have is what you gave me," a melodic voice said as she came out of the bedroom, a cheeky smile on her face.

"Ouch! Anyway this is Klaus, he lives at number 107. Klaus, this is my fiancé, Caroline."

Klaus was speechless. The girl that haunted his dreams, whose photograph and letter was stuck up on his fridge, whose hopeful eyes had gotten him through the horror of the past five years was standing in front of him. She was more beautiful in person, no replicate image could do her justice. She smiled and extended her hand to him, "So nice to meet you."

* * *

**So that is Chapter 1, please review or send me a message on Tumblr at mytraitorousheart if I should continue with this. **

**Also while you are on Tumblr join the-klaroline-campaign to make our ship happen!**


	2. I Get A Kick Out Of You

**A/N: First things first, that episode, seriously, I was literally crying with happiness whilst dancing the happiest of happy dances especially when Klaus said "I wouldn't have let him" Swoon x1000! I can't wait until the next episode!**

**Secondly, thanks to all of you who have followed, favorited and reviewed this fic, it means so much that you took time out on a new writer like myself. Now everyone look in the mirror and tell that person staring back at you "You're amazing!"**

**And here's chapter two:**

He couldn't get out of her apartment fast enough, after a mumbled introduction, he excused himself but not without taking one last glance at her. It was like he never truly woke up from his dream. How was it possible that she was here now, in his building, down the hall? It was like he wished her here and she appeared.

The problem was that he never thought of her as aging, or as a real person. She was like a fictional character that he had developed as a crutch to help him deal with the loss of Hendrik and the hefty task of moving on with his life when such a big part of it was missing. He took the picture of Caroline off of the fridge and tried to spot the changes to the woman he had just met. In many ways she looked the same, more mature, more experienced but the happiness and light that reflected off her was still there.

At the moment he saw no real difference between the picture he had idolized and the beauty down the hall but what if it changed the more he got to know her and he could no longer look upon the picture for support? No, he had to stay away from her. No matter how much she mesmerized him and even though he felt like a moth drawn to the light, he decided that his acquaintance with Caroline would not go further than a nod of greeting when they saw each other in the hallway.

* * *

Caroline hung up the last of the artwork that she owned; it was a dark piece that her father had bought her when she graduated from high school to decorate her college dorm room. It was by an unknown artist and heavily contrasted with the bright colors that populated her apartment but Caroline loved it – not only because it was gift from her father but also through all the pain that the painting insinuated there was a sense of hope like the painter believed that he or she would one day make it through the hardships and Caroline felt inspired by this.

For the first time, her life seemed to be going good. After years of worthless boyfriends who dated her as a back up plan or who cheated on her, she had found someone who truly loved her and now she was going to marry her college boyfriend, Tyler. She had moved into her own apartment and she had just been promoted from an intern to an Editorial Assistant at the magazine publishing company that she worked at. No, things were going great. For once in her life she was truly happy.

Her thoughts wandered to her neighbor. Tyler had said his name was Klaus; it wasn't a name she would easily forget. His good looks were the first thing she noticed about him, like any warm-blooded female she could not help but admire his hotness. But it was the way he looked at her that caught her off-guard, like she was a ghost. After the initials introductions he looked as if he couldn't get out of her apartment fast enough, as if he was scared of her. This was something she wasn't used to; everyone liked her because she had a way of making others feel comfortable and welcome, remnants from her perky high school cheerleader days. Perhaps she had just made a bad first impression on Klaus, maybe Tyler had said something to scare him off, he always gets jealous so quickly. Caroline knew she had to make this right if she didn't want awkward greetings in the hallways for the next couple of months and it helps to have the closest person to her on her side if there is ever an emergency.

Caroline picked up the box of cookies that her father and Stephen had bought her as a housewarming gift, left her apartment, walked up to number 107 and knocked gently. She heard shuffling on the other side and within seconds Klaus appeared opposite her, he looked surprised and a little terrified. Not wanting to be discouraged she gave him a bright smile and said, "Hey, so you ran out so quickly earlier, we didn't even get a chance to get to know each properly, seeing that we are going to be neighbors. So I brought over some delicious cookies and I thought we could chat?" She looked up at him hopefully.

He looked like he was struggling with an internal battle but he grudgingly said 'Yes sure' and ushered into his apartment. After closing the door he hurried past her to do something in the kitchen. She guessed it was probably to clean something up quickly so she took her own time walking through the living room, observing how plain and simple his apartment was, it had lots of browns and mahogany. Essentially it was just like any man's bachelor pad except for the beautiful artwork that adorned the walls. Caroline walked up to take a closer look at one of the landscapes when Klaus cleared his throat from the doorway. "Um…Caroline," his English accent seemed to make her name sound so delightful, "You can come in here." He beckoned to the kitchen.

"So do you live here alone?" Caroline asked while seating herself at a bar stool at the kitchen counter, "No wife, girlfriend or three illegitimate but charming children?"

He chuckled, "No, it's just me, I'm kind of the loner type."

"Really? I would have thought with your looks and the British accent some forward American girl would have snatched you up ages ago."

He smiled to himself. "I don't really have the time for a relationship at the moment and I'm kind of married to my job. Plus I'm only 25 now, I still have plenty of time!"

"You better get moving on, you're not getting any younger. So what do you do in this splendid time-consuming marriage that you're in?"

"I'm an architect, I have an unnatural passion for the contours of buildings."

"Interesting passion to have, but it explains your good taste in artwork. I'm an Editorial Assistant I'm saving the world one wrong shade of lipstick at a time. I actually just got promoted. What are you doing tonight?"

"Probably going to catch up on work, that I should be doing now"

"Awh I can't be such a bad distraction. I believe it is healthy to balance work with fun. Your marriage is becoming too one-sided. You should come out with my friends and I tonight, we're going to that new club, _Paramour _to celebrate my new job and finally getting my own place."

"Uh I don't think so, I'm not really one for group activities especially when I don't know anyone."

"You'll know me, you'll be a guest of the celebrant. Plus you know Tyler too and I pretty much think you're his hero after you saved him about seven trips of carrying my cargo."

"I'll think about it," he said grudgingly.

She knew he was about to give in and she smiled to herself.

"So how long have you and Tyler been together?" he asked interrupting her private victory party in her head.

"For about four years, we started dating in college. We were very casual in the beginning but after his dad passed away something changed between us. He proposed at our college graduation," she said with a smile.

"So when's the big day?" he asked.

"Not for a couple years. Tyler still has to finish law school but he wants to go into Congress like his dad so he thinks having a fiancé instead of just a girlfriend makes it sound like he's serious about his future or something. But he said he always wanted to marry me," she said proudly.

Klaus looked at her skeptically and she nervously took a sip of the juice he had given her earlier, not wanting him to voice the doubts she already felt.

"So Klaus is an interesting name, do have some German ancestry as well as British?" she asked in an attempt to change the subject.

"It's actually short for Niklaus, a character in one of my mother's favorite books or something, I don't think they gave it a lot of thought, I have, I mean had, five siblings," he cast his eyes downwards and she sensed it was a sensitive subject.

"So can I call you Nik?" she asked brightly.

He chuckled. "I suppose so Caroline."

"So are we friends now that I gave you a cool nickname?"

"You never really gave me that nickname, many have come to the conclusion that Nik is another form of Niklaus…"

"Well you ate up almost all my cookies so I think that is code for 'I really really want to be your friend Caroline!'" she said in a mock British accent.

Klaus just laughed and shook his head.

* * *

She was like a drug. As much he wanted to stay away from her, he couldn't. That was why after years of living a closed-off life he was getting ready to go to a club of all places. He thought of Kol, he would have relished in this moment. Always eager for a party, he had been trying to get Klaus to join him on his expeditions to pick up women for years, for Klaus to be his 'wingman' but Klaus had no interest in trawling bars and clubs filled with pretentious people…until now.

He wanted to turn her away when she came to his door earlier but when she smiled at him it was like all his resistance melted away. He couldn't use the excuse that time with her would spoil the image he created in his head because after their earlier encounter he knew that the two Caroline's were different people but he also knew that he preferred the Caroline he had met today. She had shown interest him, she had made him comfortable and she had made him laugh, something he felt like he hadn't done in a long time. He couldn't understand his attraction to her. Yes she was beautiful but he had encountered many beautiful women and he was not stupid enough to like a woman who was engaged, especially a woman he has known for less than a day. He figured it must be because of his five-year obsession with her image and letter; he had a perverse need to know more.

After he was dressed he walked into his kitchen and pulled out the picture and letter that he had stuffed in one of his draws urgently when Caroline had appeared at his door. He took the picture and letter, the items he had treasured so much and put it away amongst his clothes in his chest of draws in his bedroom. He will no longer let his feelings be led by a five-year-old image that he had randomly stumbled upon. Tonight he will be going out with a new friend, no unnecessary emotions attached, he will simply have fun and not entertain anymore fond thoughts of Caroline.

Determined with his new found revelation, Klaus made his way to his door when he heard a knock. But what was waiting for him on the other side disputed everything he just decided on. Caroline was wearing a short tight strapless red dress, which hugged all of her curves perfectly. Her black stiletto heels elongated her legs and her perfect smile seemed to cement the fact that the reason the blonde had taken residence in his mind had nothing to do with the picture and everything to do with the fact that he desired her.

* * *

He looked good. She couldn't deny it. He was wearing a white shirt, black jeans and a black leather jacket and she could see about three necklaces peeking out of the collar of his shirt. He seemed to ooze sexiness in a way that most of the wannabe-womanizers that she was constantly surrounded by in bars and clubs could wish for. The way she was looking at him made her feel like she was doing something wrong, but looking was free and she would be blind not to admire the fine specimen of man standing in front of her even though he heart completely belonged to Tyler.

"Hey Nik," she smiled at him, "I thought I'd meet you right at your door so that you don't flake on me. Tyler is still busy studying on campus, he said he'll join us at the club later."

Tyler had been studying late a lot over the past couple of weeks. Caroline knew he was serious about his future, and doing well in law school had become his first priority but she couldn't help but feel cast aside when his visits and phone calls became less frequent. Even when he was with her he seemed distracted and disinterested as if there was somewhere else he would rather be. Caroline was used to playing a supporting role though. She was always second choice with her high school boyfriends, her mother often put her job before her daughter, her father moved across the country to live with his life partner, and so Tyler putting his studies first was not a new experience for Caroline but yet it still saddened her.

"Evening love, you look ravishing," he said while she blushed profusely, "Shall we be on our way?"

She nodded while Nik locked up his apartment. He put his hand on the small of her back and led her to the elevator. His touch seemed to burn her whilst she found herself feeling increasingly hot. But no matter what party her hormones were having inside of her, she knew that she was in control of the situation and she would not let her mind wander into Nik-related territory, especially if said territory is only meant to house thoughts of Tyler.

**A/N: Tsk tsk Caroline, don't' tempt fate by assuming you have control over the situation. Please review to make this author a very happy girl, even though she doesn't have her own personal Klaus. The next chapter will depict the party, some Tyler jealousy like he is prone to, the introduction of some of our other favorite TVD characters and more.**

**Caroline's comment about Klaus perhaps living with "three illegitimate but charming children" was taken from ****_Love Actually _****I have just been feeling very festive which explains my tumblr handle: klaussxmaspresent, follow me there for updates on the story. Also join the-klaroline-campaign on Tumblr and Twitter to become involved with fun ways to make our ship happen. **

**P.S. Check out the beautiful cover for this story made by Lauren from shipper-graphics. She is too awesome for words.**

**P.S.S I'm also in the market of looking for a Beta, I'm getting frustrated at my stupid mistakes, if you are keen PM me.**


	3. She Will Be Loved

**A/N: Thank you to everyone who reviewed, followed and favorited this story. A lot of you are very close to the truth, not saying who though. It means so much to me that you're taking time out to read the nonsense that comes out of my head, I shall forever be indebted to you!**

**I'm super excited for the episode on Thursday and seeing as some crazy fans are referring to this week as Klaroline Week I thought I'd start things off by posting chapter 3:**

Ear-splitting music. Sweaty bodies rubbing up against each other. Drunken girls throwing up in bathrooms. Sleazy men trying to hit on said drunken girls. It was easy to see why clubs were not his idea of a good time.

Caroline's friend Elena worked in promotions and had secured them a place in the V.I.P section of _Paramour, _the exclusive club which was often frequented by New York's rich and famous elite.

"It's all about who you know," Caroline said to him as she rubbed his arm while they walked through the club. The simple gesture sending bolts of electricity through him. She lead him to through a roped-off area wherein they had to state their names before they entered into what seemed like Moulin Rouge themed lounge area. Already seated was a very pretty petite woman with long straight brown hair who was holding hands with a well-built man with light brown hair.

"Klaus, this is my high school friends Elena and Stefan, guys this is my new neighbor, Klaus," Caroline introduced him.

"Nice to meet you," Klaus remarked as he sat down next to Stefan. The couple smiled and nodded in agreement.

"So where's Tyler, I thought he was coming with you?" Elena asked Caroline.

"He's studying late tonight, he said he'll meet us here afterwards," Caroline said whilst trying to get a waitron's attention.

"On a Saturday? Couldn't he have just finished earlier and then studied again tomorrow morning?" Elena asked while Caroline gave the waiter hers and Klaus' drink orders.

"I don't know Elena," said Caroline exasperated, "I don't want to poke a sleeping dragon, plus he says he has a big test coming up this week. You don't mess with Tyler and his future."

"You don't mess with Tyler and a lot of things," Elena murmured into her drink.

"So where is everyone else?" Caroline asked, swiftly changing the subject.

"Bonnie and Jeremy are on their way, Katherine texted to say she was going to be late and Damon is at the main bar, probably hitting on some naïve girl.

"Wait, Damon's here?" Caroline said looking alarmed.

"Yes, he's in town and staying with me so I thought I'd bring him with. Is that a problem?" Stefan said warily.

"Um not for me, but Tyler isn't going to happy. Considering Damon and my history…" Caroline said nervously.

Klaus was trying to remember all the names the trio was throwing around and where they all fit in the story but to no avail. He took a sip of his drink and carried on observing the situation, intrigued by everything about Caroline.

"But you guys dated ages ago, in high school, Tyler still can't have issues about Damon," Elena remarked.

"In Tyler's defense I wouldn't want to hang out with his exes and no offence Stefan, I know you love your brother, but Damon doesn't make things easier by constantly referring back to our trysts or certain parts of my anatomy."

"Speak of the devil," Stefan said while beckoning towards a man with black hair making his way towards them.

"Blondie!" Damon exclaiming while grabbing Caroline and giving her kiss on the mouth, "Long time no see, congrats on the new job, little bro filled me in on the details."

"Thanks Damon, nice to see you back in town," Caroline replied.

Damon looked over at Klaus, obviously noticing the stranger in the group.

"Hey, I'm Damon Salvatore," he said with his hand outstretched, "Are you Blondie's new boyfriend, did she finally trade in the tool?"

Klaus chuckled. "No no, I'm Klaus Mikaelson, Caroline's new neighbor."

"Pity, you seem like a much better candidate then her current beau. Still wearing the slave jewelry I see, Barbie," Damon said while gesturing towards Caroline's diamond engagement ring.

Caroline rolled her eyes while Stefan muttered, "Damon, be nice."

"This is me being nice, brother," Damon retorted, "I'm just trying to save my former flame from a life of misery with that asshole, you are way too hot to be settling for Tyler or whatever his name is."

Klaus found Damon's remarks extremely interesting. Damon didn't seem bitter or jealous but as if he was generally looking out for Caroline. What could it be about Tyler that made her friends turn so hostile?

"Let's not forget Damon that you weren't the world's best boyfriend either, " Caroline replied defensively, "You only dated me to sleep with me and then used me as a distraction as you tried to get over Rose."

"I'm not denying that and I'm not proud of it either, high school was a shameful time for me but at least now I'm trying to make it right by encouraging you not to be with another guy who doesn't deserve you."

With that remark, everyone was silent. Elena lifted her eyebrows while Stefan and Caroline just looked at Damon. Klaus noted that Damon was not one for heartfelt confessions and this was a rarity.

Breaking the moment, a couple walked in and the man said, "Hey everyone!"

Klaus watched as a beautiful dark-skinned girl and her boyfriend swooped in on Caroline and she introduced them to Klaus as two more of her school friends, Bonnie and Jeremy. He watched as she animatedly told Bonnie and Elena a story, it surprised him that for the first he was happy being on the sidelines of someone else's life even though he so craved to be something more.

* * *

She smiled as Bonnie and Elena were laughing at her story about her crazy new boss but Damon's words were still running through her mind. Five years ago she would have scoffed at the idea of listening to the advice of Damon Salvatore but a lot had changed over the last couple of years, Damon had grown up. But regardless, he doesn't know Tyler like she does; he's only one seen one side him – the angry jealous side that he constantly provokes.

Caroline looked over Nik, hoping that he wasn't too uncomfortable with a group he didn't know. But Nik was engaged in conversation with Jeremy. Jeremy was showing interest in Nik's career as an architect. Caroline knew that even though Jeremy currently worked as a fireman he has interested in art. As Elena's younger brother, she knew him mostly by association during high school until he started dating Bonnie and he became part of their group. She appreciated how he was helping to make Nik feel at ease, he didn't seem like the type of person who made friends easily.

While she was daydreaming about Nik's future induction into her group of friends she felt a hand snake around her waist. She turned around and saw Tyler standing there grinning.

"Hey you," she said while kissing him softly.

"Hey Care, why aren't you dancing yet? Or are you waiting for me to get the party started?" he said grinning.

"Yes, you know I don't like to dance without you."

Tyler turned away from her to greet the rest of the group. Everyone was civil towards him despite the disapproval that many of them had towards him.

"Hey Klaus, you're here!" he said shaking Klaus' hand, "I knew Care would have you becoming her new best friend in a matter of hours. She has that effect!"

Tyler's mood changed as he moved to greet Elena and Bonnie and saw who was sitting with them. He abruptly walked to Caroline, grabbed her by arm and pulled her into a corner.

"When were you planning to tell me you invited him?" he said gesturing towards Damon.

"I didn't invite him. He was in town and Stefan just brought him with."

"In town? To patch things up with you? You know he's not over everything that happened between you guys."

"Seriously Tyler, you're really making this ridiculous argument? Let's point out the things that don't make sense: number one – we dated almost seven years ago when I was a sophomore for about three months and haven't reconciled since; number two – he has a business in New York as well as a brother that lives here two valid reasons for him being in town; number three – I love you and I'm committed to you which is evident by this," she said pointing to her engagement ring not missing the irony that barely an hour ago Damon referred to it as her 'slave jewelry'.

"Ok you've made your point. I still don't trust the guy though but I trust you. Let's go dance," he said and kissed her softly.

Caroline gave an exasperated sigh and followed him as they made their way to the dance floor. Dancing always made her feel so much better, she felt lost in the music and the movement. Tyler's hands all over her. The two of them dancing as one. Just as the dancing become hot and heavy, she felt a hand tap her on her shoulder. She saw a smirking face looking at her from under dark tumbling curls.

Katherine looked between Tyler and Caroline, "Sorry to interrupt the obvious dry-humping that was happening on this very public dance floor but I need to greet my friend now."

Caroline gave Tyler an apologetic look as he looked annoyed and she followed Katherine to the bar.

"Ok so I just need to get some hard liquor in my system before I go greet my self-righteous cousin and the rest of the Scooby Doo gang."

"And then you wonder why people call an alcoholic bitch behind your back," Caroline said teasingly.

"Who are these people? I need to have a chat with them. Anyways congratulations on the new job and finally having your own place," Katherine and Caroline clinked their glasses together, "I'm sorry I wasn't here earlier but I had my mandatory dinner with my dad and that whore he refers to as his wife. And asshole that she is, she spent an extra hour degrading every aspect of my life whilst my dad looked at her like she's freaking Megan Fox, even though we know she's more of a knock-off Paris Hilton."

"It's cool. Tyler, Jeremy and Bonnie also only came around now."

"Talking about assholes I see Damon Salvatore made an appearance, Tyler must be pleased."

"Ya, he threw another fit but I just pointed out how unreasonable he is and he calmed down."

"Typical. Remember how jealous he used to get in college when you spent too much time with another guy? Guy needs to sort his issues," Katherine said as she downed the rest of her drink, "Well I guess I better go greet everyone else, I can't avoid Elena and her judgmental eyes forever."

Katherine started to make her way to the V.I.P lounge but stopped abruptly outside and pulled Caroline aside.

"Hold up!" she whispered urgently, "Who is that hottie speaking to Damon?"

Caroline looked over and saw Damon deep in conversation with Klaus.

"Oh that's Klaus, my neighbor, I invited him tonight, I don't think he has many friends."

"Oh I'll be his friend," Katherine said suggestively, "I'll be his friend anywhere, anyhow, in any position he would like. Is he single?"

"Yes, he lives alone. I don't know him that well we just met today," Caroline said.

"Well if you don't mind, I'm going to get a lot more acquainted with him. I have a lot of anger and frustration that I need to get out of my system after that dinner and he seems like the perfect outlet."

Caroline watched her walk towards Nik, Katherine was in full prowl mode. She tried not to dwell on the pang that she felt in her stomach when she thought of Katherine and Nik together. She was being silly. Katherine is single, Nik is single it makes perfect sense for them to get together. She moved towards the bar, she'll need another drink to get through this night.

* * *

Watching her dance with Tyler was pure torture. He knew he had no right to be jealous, he was crushing on a woman who was engaged but he couldn't help but wish he was in Tyler's shoes. He wondered if Tyler realized how lucky he truly was.

"So I'm guessing Tyler doesn't know you like his girlfriend," Damon said as he sat down next to Klaus, "Or you would be as much a pariah as I am."

"Nah Caroline's just my friend, we only met today."

"Keeping telling yourself that. But Blondie is an amazing girl, totally wasted on him."

"You feel really strongly about that hey? Are you still into her?"

"No, we dated so long ago but I feel partly responsible for her bad taste in guys and I feel I should look out for her. We dated seven years ago before she even met Tyler and he is still jealous about it. He gets mad over the littlest thing and I don't trust him, I don't think that this will work out well for Caroline in the long run. Stefan, Elena, Bonnie and Jeremy agree with me but they would never say anything to Caroline about it. I'm just the only asshole who thinks she deserves to know the truth about the douche she's with."

"Caroline is pretty special I would hate to think of her trapped in a marriage to someone liked that."

"Dude, your adoration for her is dripping off you. You seem like a good guy though, I'm holding thumbs for you."

Klaus took a sip of his drink to avoid replying to Damon's comment.

Within minutes a woman with dark curly hair appeared on the other side of Damon. She resembled Elena, and in a weird way she reminded him a lot of Tatia.

"Well well if it isn't my favorite dirty temptress, hello Katherine," Damon said to her.

"Hey Damon, still preying on pretty young things that are out of your league?" she said, smirking at him.

Damon chuckled, "Still haven't changed I see. Well don't forger it worked on you"

"You haven't introduced me to your friend," she said as she reached over Damon to shake Klaus' hand, making her cleavage much more visible, "I'm Katherine Pierce, Caroline's college best friend, Elena's cousin and Damon's former lover. Although that last one incorporates most of America's female population."

Damon smiled proudly, "Well if you have talents...Anyway, this is Klaus, Caroline's neighbor."

Damon excused himself and Katherine moved closer to Klaus. As they were talking Klaus could see her attempts at seducing him and he knew that if he had met Katherine just a day ago they would have been back at his place already. She was beautiful, intelligent and was very forthcoming about what she wanted but Caroline had tainted him. As much as he didn't want to feel this strongly about her, he couldn't help himself.

The closer Katherine got to him, the more she started rubbing his leg, leaning into him, he started to think that perhaps if he spent a night with her he could forget about his feelings for Caroline. He could move on. It would funny anecdote that he will tell his children, about how he had a crush on the girl in the picture.

As he was about to concede to Katherine, Tyler came towards him. "Klaus, I hate to do this to you but I need to ask another favor?"

"Sure thing mate, what is it?" He stood up, pealing Katherine off him.

"I need to leave, have a study session early tomorrow so I'm going with Bonnie and Jeremy now. But Caroline has been drinking a lot tonight, more than her usual. Could you make sure she gets home okay seeing that you live down the hall from her?"

"Yes of course, don't worry about it, I don't mind," he said, thinking it was fate preventing him from doing something he would regret.

* * *

"Here we go Caroline, this your door. Do you want me to come in with you," he said to her as he led her to her apartment door.

"No no no it's okay, I know what to do now and anyway Tyler won't be happy if you came in with me and then he will be angry with you for seven years."

She was blabbering. She kept saying random things to him the entire way in the cab from the club back to their apartment building but instead of it being annoying he found it adorable.

"Caroline give me your phone so I can put my number in if there's an emergency," he said as he held out his hand.

"I don't know where's my phone! It's gone forever!" She exclaimed while throwing her hands in the air.

Klaus grabbed her bag, opened it and pulled her cellphone out, "See here it is! The mystery is solved!"

"Hahaha mystery. Scooby Doo. I'm Daphne. Klaus, you look like Fred."

"You do remind me of Daphne. She was my favorite, I always thought she was hot."

"You're hot. Katherine said so but I said so first. Katherine is a copycat."

Klaus smiled to himself as he ushered her into her apartment, "Okay love time for bed, good night. Remember to call me if you need anything. 'N' is for Nik."

Caroline threw her arms around him and said, "Thank you so much Nik, I'm so so happy I knocked on your door today and now you're not scared of me anymore. Thank you for taking care of me, you're my favoritest new friend."

Klaus chuckled as she pulled her arms away and turned around and went into her apartment.

"See you tomorrow, Caroline," he said with a grin.

He felt like he was back in a high school, ecstatic because the girl he liked thought he was hot. Tonight had been an eye-opener. He could see the cracks in Caroline and Tyler's relationship and the comments of her friends just made him more determined. He will show her that she deserves more than the second rate attention that she receives from Tyler. She deserves to be someone's everything. He was going to convince her that he was the better choice and that she was worth so much more than what Tyler's giving her.

**A/N That's chapter three. Let me know your thoughts and opinions in the review section. Everyone who reviews gets a free drink at ****_Paramour _****(if it existed). I know that there wasn't much Klaroline interaction in this chapter but I just wanted to depict Caroline's relationship struggles as well as her insecurities with regards to men which was explained by Damon.**

**I enjoyed writing Damon and Katherine, two of the spicier characters, I know Damon seems a bit OOC but those are some things I wish Show Damon would say to Caroline. Or at least apologize for his actions. I believe that people grow up and realize the mistakes that they make, which is why Damon looks out for Caroline in this chapter. I also didn't want Caroline to become a walkover with regards to Tyler, Klaus likes her because she is strong, and regardless of the fact that she loves Tyler she still stands up to him when he is being unreasonable about the Damon situation.**

**Klaus' determination in the end of the chapter to convince Caroline that he is the better choice in my way of mirroring the actions of Klaus on the Show. Respecting Caroline's decision to be with Tyler but still offering her world, showing her that she deserves better then cheap charm bracelets, she deserves diamonds worn by princesses. **

**Unanswered questions such as what happened to Tatia and the rest of the Mikaelson clan will be explored in forthcoming chapters. To ask questions etc or chat to me contact me on Tumblr at klaussxmaspresent.**


	4. Anything Could Happen

**A/N: I'm so sorry for the late update I meant to finish this chapter last weekend but real life really got in the way. Thanks for all follows, favorites and reviews, I really really appreciate them. Hope you enjoy chapter 4: **

_If you wanna be my lover_

_You gotta get with my friends_

_Making love forever, friendship never ends_

"Seriously?!" She said as her head hit her headboard and added to her non-stopping headache. She picked her phone up and silenced that damn Spice Girls song that she thought just a couple of weeks ago was funny and ironic to have as her ringtone.

"Hello?" She answered in a groggy voice, not even bothering to check the caller ID.

"Bitch! You didn't tell me he was British! That changes everything. I went in there with my C Game, when I should have opened with my A Game. Talk about sabotage."

"Morning Katherine. You're your usual perky self this morning I hear," she said while trying to lift her head up through the searing headache that she housed.

"Wake up! I didn't tell you to drink yourself into a stupor and I need my best friend right now."

"Alright alright no need to shout! I'm putting you on speaker now before you break my eardrums. What's your problem?" Caroline asked while slowly getting out of bed.

"So I was chatting to your friend Klaus, Mr. Sex-On-Legs, last night and I was using all my usual techniques but then Tyler spoilt it with that whole situation with you and then nothing happened. So I was thinking he is British, they play a whole different game on the other side of the pond and plus his hotness coupled with his sexy accent must mean that he gets hit on by Americans all the time, I needed to use my A game in order to make sure he couldn't resist me."

"So nothing happened?" Caroline let out a sigh of relief.

"Nothing happened…yet," Katherine responded.

"Back-up there, what do you mean the whole situation with me? What happened last night?"

"You don't remember?"

"Obviously or else I wouldn't be asking!"

"Whoah relax! Nothing bad happened, you just drank way too much and Tyler wanted to leave and you didn't want to go with him so Klaus left me and took care of you. So you owe me."

"He took care of me? Oh, how embarrassing. Why do I owe you though? You did nothing."

"Um because of you I never got laid last night."

"You don't know for certain that you would've gotten laid anyway."

"But it was highly likely, he was definitely drinking of the Kat Kool-Aid before Tyler interrupted us. So you need to make it up to me by giving us another chance."

Caroline felt a pang of disappointment, which she tried to bury. Of course Klaus would like Katherine, she's beautiful, smart, interesting and more importantly, she's available.

"You do know you can just come visit me anytime and we can go over to his place, he is my neighbor."

"No no no, I don't want to seem desperate. We have to have a chance run in where I can charm him with my sexy skills."

Caroline laughed, "Ok Katherine, I'll speak to Elena, maybe we can go out again next weekend."

"I was thinking maybe you should have a proper housewarming party at your new apartment – it's more personal and plus you'll probably be able to score gifts for your place."

"God ok Katherine, does anyone ever say no to you?"

"Of course not, which Klaus will learn soon enough. I always get what I want."

* * *

For the first time in years he found it difficult to focus on his work. Sketches which were meant to become high-rise buildings, in minutes became Caroline's face. He spent hours just trying to perfect the shading around her eyes. He hastily ripped the picture off of his sketchpad and threw it in his wastepaper basket. He had to stop this; he was acting like a creepy stalker. He needed to get his head back in the game and focus on his project.

A knock at the door disturbed his thoughts. He made his way to his door, trying to make his apartment look more presentable on his way.

He opened his door to find Caroline standing at his threshold wearing a sundress and offering him a bright smile.

"Hey you! Why do you look so stressed and disheveled?" She asked him.

"Finding it hard to concentrate on my work. Did you only wake up now? You do know it's after 5pm?" he asked her with a smirk.

"No I've been up for hours planning. I wanted to give you this," she said handing Klaus a white envelope.

"Is this my eloquently written thank-you note for dealing with your drunken self?" He asked while she walked past him and sat on his couch.

"No, although I'm really really embarrassed about that. It's an invite for my housewarming party next Saturday."

"You have parties for everything. And why do you need to give an invite, with fancy paper?" he said turning over the invite, "Caroline's Homegirl Par-tay, is this for real?"

"Ugh if you going to make fun of my hard work, then give it back! You're uninvited!" She said while getting up to grab the invite away from him.

He held the invite up above his head while she jumped to try and reach it. When she realized her efforts were fruitless she put her hands down and rested it just above his pelvis and dragged it up to his shoulders. Klaus' breath hitched in his throat as she stared intensely in his eyes. Automatically he moved his hands down to encircle her waist. She smiled at him while her right hand traced down his left arm until she reached his hands, grabbed the invite out and spun out of his hold.

"Awh come on love that was totally unfair, you were using your feminine wiles to distract me."

"Your loss that you're so easily distracted," she said with a victorious smile on her face as she used the invite to fan herself in a dramatic gesture.

"Why did you even make invitations? You could have come and told me or emailed me or something. This a complete and utter waste of paper."

"Says the one who cuts down trees to create more buildings."

"Touché."

"Well I needed something to do to distract myself from the terrible hangover that I had and plus I was in the mood to make invites," she said while handing the invite back to him and returning to her seat on the couch.

"So you and Katherine looked pretty cozy last night," she commented.

He chuckled. "She's a very friendly girl, that Katherine."

"And very persistent, she'll have you succumbing to her charms sooner or later."

"Ah, she isn't really my type."

"Katherine is everyone's type. She and Elena are swarmed upon wherever we go. I drank for free throughout college because of Katherine. But why not though? I know from my little trick earlier, that you aren't gay."

He laughed. "No definitely not gay, I just don't usually like obvious women but I'll give her a chance if it means that much to you."

"No this isn't about me I just want you to be happy, you seem so lonely."

" I've very comfortable being alone. Let's just say my track record with women isn't that great and she reminds me too much of an ex I'd rather forget."

"A sob story for another day?"

"Definitely a sob story for another day."

"So awkward conversation topic aside, tell me something about you that I don't know."

"I used to be a polo player. My siblings and I went to a very posh boarding school in England before we moved to the states."

"Wow…swanky! I was a cheerleader in high school."

"I know."

"Whaat! How do you know that?"

Klaus tried to think of an excuse. He had forgotten that he only knew she was a cheerleader from the image of her in her tight uniform that was burned in her brain.

"You told me last night in the cab before trying to entertain the cab driver and I with some tricks."

"Oh how embarrassing! But that totally sounds like something I would do. Wait, let me go and revel in my embarrassment and you can back to your work."

"No don't go, I was just kidding," he exclaimed in a desperate attempt to get her to stay, just to be in her company.

"I have to go, Tyler and I have dinner with his mom and I have to look presentable for Queen Lockwood. But you have my invitation, stick it up on your fridge, I see you have magnets there holding nothing up."

"I've been waiting for a handmade invite to stick there."

"Hahaha hilarious, I'll see you around Nik."

"See you around, Caroline," he said smiling.

He watched the door close behind her and let out a breath. He could still feel her hands on his chest, around his neck, in his hair. She had no idea how much she affected him and in that moment he just wanted to pull her close and kiss her but he knew he couldn't it, especially when her heart belonged to another.

* * *

Caroline loved parties but hosting them at her own place was a nightmare. She was too much of a control freak; everything had to be perfect and her whole night is usually spent making sure everyone else has a good time that she fails to enjoy it herself. Katherine so owes her for planning an entire party just so that she can get laid.

Her ideal situation was just to have a dinner with Nik, Katherine, Tyler and herself but according to Katherine that was too obvious so she invited Elena, Stefan, Bonnie and Jeremy. She was glad that Damon had gone back home to Chicago as that meant one less unnecessary dispute with Tyler.

Katherine was the first to arrive followed shortly by Elena, Stefan, Bonnie, Jeremy and finally Nik. Caroline's face lit up when Nik came in wearing a black Henley long-sleeved T-shirt which seemed to hug his body perfectly. Caroline had flashbacks to the previous weekend when her hands had traced his undeniable delicious body. She was so distracted by being so close to him that she almost forgot the reason why she did it was to distract him. The past week had very busy with both of them having demanding jobs and her trying to fit time in to see Tyler and her dad that she only ran in to Nik now and then in the hallway, it was so good to see him again.

Katherine's voice interrupted her musings. "Hey Klaus!" She exclaimed while grabbing his arm, "You made it! I thought maybe you ditched me again."

Caroline was so busy watching them that she didn't notice Elena appearing next to her.

"She doesn't even give him room to breathe before pouncing on him. It's like she has no morals," Elena said while giving Katherine a pointed glare.

"Well that's Kat for you, she goes after what she wants."

"And are you okay with this? You had pissed off look on your face while you were watching them now."

"No of course I'm okay with them being together. Kat is my friend, Nik is my friend, they're both single, it fits well."

Elena gave her a wary look. "I just don't want you to regret this, Katherine is my cousin and I love her but many times she doesn't think of how her actions affect other people."

"Well seeing as I planned this entire shindig so that she can chance to hook up with Nik, I think she has my seal of approval. Plus if it works out, she doesn't have to be the seventh wheel anymore and we can all be couply without worrying about Kat being left out."

"Speaking about being couply, where is that illusive boyfriend of yours?"

"Tyler is studying for finals, he said he'll pop around afterwards."

"Oh the perpetual excuse, 'studying'," Elena said.

"Whoah Elena, just say what you're thinking, why don't you."

"I can't just sit idly by and watch you make excuses for him anymore. Perhaps Damon is right and Tyler is just playing on your caring and trusting nature and we, as your friends, aren't helping by not telling you how we really feel about him."

"So you guys have been talking about me behind my back? Real great friends you are. You just can't handle that for once someone truly loves me and I'm not condemned to live the rest of my life in your shadow."

"Seriously Care, this is not what it's about. I love you and think you deserve more than him and his really pitiful excuses. Really now, with the amount of studying that he does he should have graduated from law school three years earlier than usual."

"Whatever Elena, I don't have to put up this crap in my own apartment." Caroline stormed away to the bathroom and shut herself inside. She sat on the toilet seat and placed her head in her hands, Elena words ran through her head. She wondered if each week another one of her friends will proclaim their dislike for her fiancé. But a relationship is about teamwork and once they knew Tyler the way she did they would love him too. She washed her hands and straightened herself up, perfectly poised to go back to her original role of playing the hostess.

As she came out of the bathroom she walked straight into a hard chest. She looked up and saw Nik smiling down at her. "Hey are you okay? I saw your little spat with Elena earlier and then you storming off so I came to see how you were doing."

She offered him a weak smile and said, "I'm fine, just a misunderstanding between Elena and I. I'm over it already."

"That's good! I was just wondering if you could save me for a couple of minutes. Your friend Katherine is a lovely girl but I just need a little time away from her, she is invading my personal space too much."

"Haha Kat tends to become like that. Come, you can help me collect more drinks from the kitchen," she said gesturing to the kitchen door.

The rest of the night went by without any more blow-ups between Caroline and Elena but as Elena and Stefan left, Caroline gave them a stiff goodbye and it was obvious that Tyler had not arrived and Elena gave Caroline a look as if to say "I told you so."

Bonnie and Jeremy were the next to leave and as they left Bonnie gave Caroline an awkward smile proving to Caroline that Elena had shared the reason for their dispute with her. Just before Katherine left she gave Nik a long lingering hug and slipped a piece of paper in his hand whilst whispering in his ear and giving him a seductive smile. Caroline rolled her eyes, she could read Katherine like a book.

"So Nik, there's no reason for you to hang about, the party's over," she said as she gathered the glasses scattered around the apartment.

"I thought I'd help you clean up," he said while picking up an empty bowl.

She gave him a genuine smile and said, "Thanks, I really hate sweeping, so if you want you can sweep while I do the dishes?"

"Sounds good to me," he said as he took the broom from her.

"You really are a life saver."

"'Life saver' is listed under 'Special Abilities' on my resume. So, do you want to talk about what happened between you and Elena earlier?"

Caroline gave a deep sigh and said, "Elena was pulling a Damon and making her negative feelings about Tyler a bit too vocal."

"Where is Tyler though? I though he'd be there."

"Don't even go there," she said, "But ya he said he was going to come after he's finished studying, he must have just lost track of time."

"Oh I see."

"Or I don't know!" She exclaimed exasperated, "I don't know how to keep him interested. He's bored with me just like all the rest of them and I'm trying so so hard." She broke down into sobs whilst crashing on the couch. Nik dropped the broom and joined her on the couch, pulling her into his chest."

"Why can't I be enough?" She sobbed into his top, barely audible.

"Caroline, it shouldn't be this difficult. You are good enough, you are amazing, any guy would be lucky to be with you."

She straightened herself up and wiped her eyes on her cardigan while she smiled at him, "You're just saying that to be nice."

He grabbed her chin and pulled her face to look at him, "Caroline listen to me, you are beautiful, strong, funny, loyal and caring and deserve to be first priority and if Tyler doesn't realize that he really is not worth your time or tears."

He released her chin while Caroline openly gaped at him. She quickly came out of her trance and cleared her throat saying, "Um thanks Nik…for everything. I'll see you tomorrow?" She had a hopeful look in her eyes as she asked him.

"Yes, I would like that very much," he answered as he made his way out of her apartment.

* * *

He barely slept the previous night. He kept replaying his interactions with Caroline in his mind – the disdainful look she gave Katherine when she pounced on him, the relief on her face when she ran into him when she came out of the bathroom, the way she felt against his chest but most of all the way she looked at him before he left as if she was seeing him through a new light.

He smiled to himself as he got ready for the day ahead, things were different now. He made progress and the cracks in her relationship with Tyler were starting to show. He knew it was just a matter of time before she broke things off with Tyler and they had a chance to be together. He was so happy that he opted to stay and help her to clean up instead of going home with Katherine.

Klaus put his coffee down as he heard his doorbell ringing. His mouth automatically stretched into a smile anticipating who was on the other side of the door and he was rewarded with the bright smile of Caroline as she stood in the hallway outside of his apartment.

"Hey Nik, good to see you're awake!"

"Good morning Caroline, to what to do I owe the pleasure?"

"I came to bring over your jacket that you left at my place yesterday, we don't want Tyler finding that. I also wanted to thank you again for last night. You really were amazing."

"So do you want to come in for coffee? I just made a fresh pot."

"No I can't. Tyler is coming to fetch me, he's taking me out on a surprise date. He called this morning full of apologies apparently he fell asleep while studying last night so he's making it up to me today," she said while smiling sweetly.

"Oh I see, enjoy it!" He said as she turned to walk back to her apartment.

Klaus closed the door behind her angrily and walked to his bedroom, picked up the pair of jeans he wore the previously night, pulled out a white piece of paper and reached for his cellphone on his bedside paper. He furiously typed the numbers on the page in his phone and pressed 'call'; within seconds a woman answered the phone.

"Hi Katherine, it's Klaus, how's about we get that drink this evening?"

* * *

**A/N: Ooh la la impulsive Klaus has made an appearance, this won't be good…**

**Before anyone asks me, the picture that Caroline hung up in chapter 2 is in her bedroom.**

**If you would like to encourage me to update faster please please leave a review, I appreciate all insights.**

**In order to shorten my author's note, I have created a page on my tumblr blog (klaussxmaspresent) entitled 'Til Kingdom Come' with extra info on this fic. You can ask me questions there.**


	5. Dark Side

**A/N: Hey everybody, I hope you all are having a healthy hiatus and not obsessing over the month sans TVD. I'm doing fine, just becoming more addicted to fan fiction whilst creating my own mini-Mystic Falls on The Sims. Totally normal.**

**I decided to halve my original chapter five in order to give you guys an update today. So the next update will be coming soon! Yay for quick updates! Thanks to everyone who favorited, followed and reviewed I love you lots!**

**Also I just want to add that Klaroline is my only ship in this story, all the other couples who are together or will get together are only there to add to plot purposes with regards to Klaroline. **

**And here's chapter 5:**

_5 years earlier_

"I'm trying to help you!"

"Well then you can help me by leaving."

"Klaus, stop this," she said pleadingly.

He looked up from his textbook and gave her a blank stare.

"Stop what? I'm not doing anything."

"That's the point, you're not doing anything! You've barely looked at me in weeks; you don't want to talk to me. I don't know what to do anymore!" She threw her hands in the air in exasperation.

"That's it though, isn't it?" He said quietly.

"That's what?" She said eagerly, glad for some response from him.

"It's all about you, it always has been. Even that night of the accident, I was rushing because you told me to."

He was screaming now, letting out all the pent-up anger he had been feeling for weeks. Who was she to tell him to get over this? She barely took the time to get to know Hendrik. She didn't know that he was allergic to peanuts and that when he had nightmares Rebekah used to sing 'Hush Little Baby' up until he was ten years old. She didn't hear the melodious way he laughed whenever Elijah threw him over his shoulder, or the proud smile he had when he was one of Finn's groomsmen. These moments amongst others had been playing continuously through his mind since Hendrik's death, his studies being the only thing that could distract him from the pain.

"Do you know what? I don't need to put up with this crap anymore. I've been by your side throughout this whole ordeal, supporting you and you still treat me like this. I can't do this anymore." Tatia picked up her bag and made her way to the door.

"You make like this is such a big decision for you," he said bitterly.

She turned around again to face him.

"I might have been mourning but I'm not deaf," he said sounding as if venom was dripping from his words.

"What are you talking about?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

He stood up. "I've heard the rumors. Two lovely girls outside of my architectural class last week were gleefully talking about the campus slut, Tatia Petrova, who is screwing her philosophy professor and I wasn't even surprised. I suppose he gave you attention, made you feel like you're actually worth something. Fucks you to let out all his frustration before going home to his wife and kids. But wait, he probably tells you that he doesn't love her that he's planning to leave her. But what you don't realize is that you are a placeholder, nobody wants to end up with someone like you, you are just an easy girl to pass time with while waiting for something better."

He anticipated the slap, the anger and hurt in her eyes evident.

"Fuck you Klaus," she said furiously, "You are going to end up sabotaging every good thing in your life because you're too chicken-shit to deal with your problems. We all know the reason you are lashing out at me because you're blaming yourself for an accident you had no control over."

She turned away from and walked out of his life.

Since Hendrik's death his life had spiraled out of control. As expected both parents had vocally blamed Klaus for Hendrik's death, his father beating him to pulp while his mother just watched with a disdainful look on her face. According to said parents, he always drove too fast, he never paid enough attention on the road and he was always maliciously jealous of Hendrik.

His siblings, through distraught, had been sensible enough to see the accident as it truly was - an accident, with Finn even offering to let Klaus stay with him and his wife, Sage. But the damage was done and his parent's reaction just cemented the guilt that he already felt. He didn't deserve a good life when Hendrik's was cut so unfairly short. Hendrik never had the chance to tell the girl he had a crush on how he felt, he would never experience his high school prom or graduation or go drinking with his buddies; and it's all because of him.

Klaus tossed his textbook aside; the spat with Tatia prevented him from focusing on his work. He walked over to his desk to get a drink to appease the discomfort and sadness that he felt.

He saw the tear-stained letter laying on his desktop, too many readings of it had left doggy-eared, a bit tacky but readable none-the-less.

He reread the part that spoke most adamantly to him:

_"You have to stop doing this! Not everything is your fault. Some things happen in life which we have no control over whatsoever. Life throws us curveballs, we make mistakes, tragedies happen and many times we are the consequences of other people's choices."_

He thought of the man currently facing trial versus his parents because he drove drunk that night. Klaus did not know his reasons for drinking, whether something had gone wrong in his life or if he just had just overindulged at a party but because he chose to drink and drink, Klaus had lost a brother. He knew it would be a while before he could move on from the tragedy that was bestowed upon him but the letter's author gave him hope that the tide will change.

* * *

_Present day_

As she threw the packaging of the Thai food she had just scoffed down in her post-work hunger, she heard a loud knock on her door. She went to open up and was surprised by the visitor she had on the other side.

"Ah my favorite Salvatore, to what to owe the pleasure on this dreary Wednesday evening? Have you come to make amends for Elena?"

"Actually not. Elena's working tonight, some big firm is having an event that she's helping out with and I thought I'd come and visit my sister from another mister."

"Always so corny," she said as she let Stefan into her apartment. "I would offer you some Thai food but I have just wolfed all of it down."

"I forgot what an animal you can become when you haven't been fed in a while."

She swatted him across the chest. "Hey! You should talk last, you're like an vacuum when it comes to food!"

"But I'm a guy, it's socially acceptable."

"Oh no you didn't come here with that misogynistic attitude."

"I'm just kidding! I forgot how cute you get when you go on your feminist-trip," he chuckled at her whilst pinching her cheeks.

She sighed deeply. "I missed this. The casual, non-judging, relaxed aspect of our group of friends. High school was so easy."

"That's what happens when people grow up, they lose their funness, they become serious and their schedules become filled with power lunches and client dinners. There just isn't enough time to have drinking competitions and hang out at the local grill."

"Kill me if I start putting bridge games before you guys."

"It probably would have been easier if you had dated within the group like myself. You should've just married Damon or Matt. You could have fallen pregnant after prom and Matt would have proposed."

"Funny Salvatore! And then I would be living my life as a barmaid at the Mystic Grill, no thank you. Plus Matt is happily married to Sara who is all to keen to pry glasses away from drunks."

"And if I never left Mystic Falls I would probably have been one of those drunks arguing with Sara," Stefan said helping himself to a glass of juice in her fridge.

"We're all lucky we got out of the small town, and soon you'll be a big time doctor saving the world."

"Yes! I can't wait to graduate and then I can finally make an honest woman of Elena."

"It feels like you guys have been dating forever, it's time to put a ring on it."

"And you? How's your wedding plans going? I would just like to add that tangerine would not be a good color for my Maid-of-Honor dress, it really doesn't suit my skin tone," he said dramatically.

She giggled at his silliness. "You can fight it out for the Maid-Of-Honor post with Elena, Bonnie and Katherine."

Stefan shuddered. "I wouldn't want to fight with Katherine over anything, that bitch can get crazy."

"I know, that's why I love her, she's a good person to have on your side even if her motives are sometimes selfish."

"Speaking of Katherine, how did her date with Klaus go? I'm starting to sound like one of the girls already."

"Date? What date? When did she go on a date with Klaus? I know nothing."

"Elena mentioned that the two of them went out for drink on Sunday evening. She had phoned Katherine to ask if she was planning to join them for their family Christmas dinner and Kat had said that she was on her way to meet Klaus."

Caroline was surprised as she tried to ignore the familiar pang in her stomach which she had become all too use to. "That's so strange that neither of them have said anything to me since. Kat would have usually phoned me the next morning and I saw Nik on Sunday, he didn't mention anything about a date with Katherine."

"You seem upset, is there more going on here that I don't know about?" Stefan gave her a questioning look. He could always read her so much better then anyone else.

"I guess it's just my fear of missing out, coming to the front again. I just can't think of a reason why neither of them said anything to me. I suppose it's none of my business anyway. They can go out if they want to. I mean Kat has made her intentions perfectly clear although when I spoke to Nik about her, he didn't seem interested at all. But maybe something changed at the Housewarming party, guys always end up falling for Kat," she said unintentionally sounding sad.

"Or maybe you're thinking too much into this," Stefan suddenly turned serious, "Care, do you like Klaus?"

"Of course I like him, we're friends. I might be a cheerful person but I don't give that title to just anyone."

"No I mean do you like like him, like secretly want to have sex with him on the nearest surface kind of like?"

"Gosh, of course not. I barely know him and I am engaged to Tyler! I mean I obviously think he's good-looking and he's a great guy but I'm not prepared to give up four years of my life for just anyone who called me beautiful."

"But you also don't want him dating your friend," he said quietly.

When she didn't respond he carried on. "I just want you to know that you can speak about these things with me, I won't share it with Elena because before I was Elena's boyfriend, I was your friend and I know sometimes Elena and Bonnie judge your decisions because they're looking out for you but I'm here to support you."

"Stefan, I don't know what I feel most of the time. Tyler has become so disinterested in our relationship, I feel like I'm the one fueling it most of the time but I cannot dispute the four years that he has been there for me when a lot of times I did not deserve it. When I had mood swings or my insecurities flared up, he wasn't put off and he stuck by side; and perhaps now that's so preoccupied with school, I should be sticking with him and not be entertaining thoughts of sexy foreigners who give me attention and tell me everything I want to hear while they are going on dates with my best friend."

"Care, maybe you should tell Katherine how you feel."

"No no I can't do that, I refuse to be one of those girls who want to have their cake and eat it. I can't be engaged to one guy and then reserve another guy because he gives me a good ego boost."

"But then you also have to think about why Klaus is affecting you so much. I have seen numerous guys hit on you in the years that we have been friends but when you're in a relationship you aren't swayed by any charming words. I'm not saying that you should dump Tyler and declare your love for Klaus; I'm saying that you should look at what is missing in your relationship with Tyler and what you are substituting with your friendship with Klaus. History and duty should never be reasons to stay with someone if you no longer feel like the relationship is mutually beneficial."

"Yes perhaps I do need to think about everything instead of just sweeping it under the mat. You know you should write a book, maybe go on The View!"

Stefan chuckled and walked over to her and gave her hug.

"Now that's the Care I love. I have to go, I have an early class tomorrow morning. I'll see you soon."

Caroline saw Stefan out, deep in thought. It was the first time that she was truly honest with herself. Stefan knew her better then anyone and as usual his analysis of her was spot on. She had been thinking frequently about ending things with Tyler even though a large part of her was still in love with him and what they had, she had to admit that they were no longer the love-struck college students they were when they got together and the bond that they shared when she helped him deal with his father's death might not be enough to float their relationship. She also felt duty bound to him, she didn't want to be the girl who broke his heart or the one who tainted his future political career. She didn't want to prove his mother right. But through all her doubts she knew their relationship deserved a fighting chance and if after she has given all she has to give she still felt the same, she would end things.

But first she needed to find out what happened on Nik and Katherine's date.

**A/N: Sorry for lack of Klaroline action but I'll be making up for it in the next chapter. Klaus, although perfectly nice and charming to Caroline, he is a multi-layered dude with lots of issues as well as anger problems which I tried to display in his break-up with Tatia. It also shows how far he has come over the past five years and why the letter is important to him. **

**I love me some Steroline, which I think the show is doing perfectly and I decided to have my own crack at it in this chapter. I think that Stefan is probably the best friend that Caroline has the moment, he truly understands and doesn't judge her, he lets her be. It is also refreshing for Caroline to admit the feelings that she has for Klaus.**

**What to expect in the next chapter: Klaus and Tyler have a run in and we get to see what Tyler is really doing when he claims to be studying; Katherine and Caroline have a chat where we find out more about her and Klaus' date; Klaroline have a sweet moment and one of my favorite characters makes an appearance. **

**P.S. Chapter is named after the song by Kelly Clarkson**


	6. She's A Mystery To Me

**Chapter 6: She's A Mystery To Me**

**A/N: Firstly I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays, I'm kind of a big fan of Christmas, so I'm all giddy and happy now.**

**Once again, thanks to all those who followed, favorited and reviewed. A special thank you to my beta Charley (A Little Bit O'Bantar) and here's chapter 6:**

"Mikaelson, are you ready to go?"

Klaus looked up at the older gentleman who was standing just outside of his office.

"Yes Mr. Saltzman, I just want to finish this."

"Mikaelson, you work more than any other Junior Partner, hell you work more than most of the senior partners, it's time for you to take a break and let your hair down. So let's go, you can finish your work tomorrow."

Klaus detested work events, he wasn't one for socializing, preferring to keep to himself. But the end-of-the-year Christmas party was mandatory for all employees of Saltzman and Associates, one of New York's top architectural firms, so Klaus could not feign too much work or personal responsibilities. He had worked hard for his position at Saltzman and Associates. After Hendrik's death and what he felt to be his exclusion from his family he yearned for a place where he left like he truly belonged. He loved his job and he was good at it, his colleagues respected him because of his talent and his dedication but through it all he constantly wondered if respect and admiration were enough to sate the desire in his heart.

"Oh, the illusive Mikaelson has finally come out of his hole," commented Eric, one of his fellow junior partners as Klaus walked into the restaurant around the corner from his office, which was hosting their Christmas party.

"Don't get too used to it, Eric, someone has to do the work you slack on."

"Mikaelson, ever the martyr. So how drunk are we getting tonight?"

"That's your decision to make but just it be known I'm not dragging your drunk ass home and having to have your wife take out her anger on me…again."

"Oh but we make such a great team, I could be your wingman in return? You are the mysterious loner, I am his verbose and better-looking-but-taken friend who will lure the women with my natural charm and well-chosen words while you wow them with your brooding and sad nature. Chicks dig dudes like that, that's why vampires are so popular now."

"You've given this a lot of thought, mate, you living vicariously through me?"

"You know it. I love Julianne and all, but I miss the thrill of the chase sometimes. So any women you have your eye on? Pearl in HR is looking good now that she is divorced. A cougar, maybe she can teach you some tricks."

"Oh I don't need any lessons," Klaus said firmly.

"Overconfident I see. So who can we work our dual-magic on here tonight? What about Hayley in the legal department, she's looking hot tonight."

"Hayley? Seriously?" Lexie, the other Junior Partner remarked while approaching them with a drink in her hand, "Look at what she's wearing. Who wears a tight red dress to a work function? It's like announcing 'I'm available for hire' I'll bet you guys ten bucks she's sleeping with her manager or at least trying to."

"Bitter much, Lexie?" Eric teased, "You just hate her because she drew your name in Secret Santa last year and she bought you soap-on-a-rope saying 'Use it well'."

"How do you remember that?" Lexie looked at Eric in amazement.

"What can I say, I'm a savant for interesting information about colleagues?"

"That's a little creepy. You probably check up on your colleagues by going through their Facebook pictures as well."

"That's a given."

"That's true, he does that at work while I'm slaving to finish our projects," Klaus piped in.

"What? It's good to know who our colleagues really are. Like our friend Hayley over there, she went on a hiking trip last weekend."

"Eric this is beyond creepy, I'm so telling Julianne."

"Oh Julianne knows, Hayley and her drama are like our regular soap opera. She doesn't know that it isn't wise to share every detail of her life on Facebook. But she seems like an emotional updater. At the moment, she's in love with this dude who she refers to as 'Oak', I'm assuming after the tree, who is perfect in every way, tells her all this crap that she wants to hear but isn't making any form of commitment to her and she is certain that he will. Julianne and I think he's just screwing around with her, feeding on her eagerness to believe him, and once he has used her enough he will end things with her, like douches are prone to do. But she is young, she will learn."

"Wow you guys are really invested in her life," Lexie said with disdain.

"It keeps our relationship exciting," Eric said wriggling her eyebrows, "But I was thinking, now that she is seeing this loser it is the perfect time for Klaus to strike and show her how a real man treats a woman. You see man, I always have your back."

"No need, no need. I'm not interested in Hayley, at all."

"You see Eric, this is what a true friend looks like, " Lexie commented gesturing to Klaus, "They hate the same bitches you do."

"This isn't like you Klaus, backing down on a challenge, especially when I've done so much prep work for you," Eric said ignoring Lexie's comment, "What's up with you? Are you seeing someone?"

"If I was, you would be the last person I would tell, the entire office would know in matter of seconds. You're worse than Gossip Girl."

Lexie splat her drink out in shock, "Klaus, did you just reference Gossip Girl?"

Klaus shrugged and explained, "When my sister still lived in U.S., five years ago it was all she spoke about."

"That's one memory I'm storing in my mind forever: Klaus talking about Gossip Girl," she muttered to herself.

Eric narrowed his eyes at Klaus, "I'm onto you Mikaelson, and this whole secretive act doesn't work on me. You might not have Facebook but I'll get this mystery girl's story out of you."

"As always it was great chatting to you guys, but I must be on my way. I have to get up early tomorrow to travel home and face the parentals," Lexie said.

"I think I'm going to leave too. I'll let someone else deal with Drunk Eric for once," Klaus remarked.

"You make it sound like I'm some kind of disease! The two of you should be lucky I permit you to be in my presence."

"Oh please Eric, keep telling yourself that," Lexie said as she hugged him goodbye.

"Be safe mate and send my regards to Julianne. Tell her if she ever gets tired of you she can always give me a call," Klaus said as he shook Eric's hand.

"Are you sure your mystery girl would be okay with that?" Eric asked raising his eyebrows.

"Don't worry she likes to share," Klaus retorted as they walked away.

"You shouldn't taunt him like that, he will be all up in your business now," Lexie commented as they walked towards the exit.

"He is far too inquisitive for his own good. Most of the time I feel like snapping his neck but I figured the worst form of torture is to withhold information from him, it will be eating him up for days."

"So there's no mystery girl?"

"Why? Are you trying to seduce me into taking you home?"

"Like I'll ever stoop to such low standards."

"Ouch, you really aim to hurt a guy."

"Just kidding, I'm sure you'll be a great catch to someone other than Hayley," she emphasized the last part.

"Okay okay I know you don't like her, I'm not going to go there. Are you happy now?"

"Yes!"

Klaus made to flag down a cab for Lexie when he noticed a group of people walking down the street, he was going to turn back around when the man at the forefront of the cluster walked under a street light and came into full view. Klaus saw that it was Tyler Lockwood.

Tyler must have noticed him staring and waved over to him as he came nearer.

"Hey man, what are you doing in this neck of the woods?" Tyler's words slurred as he asked Klaus while simultaneous staring appreciatively at Lexie.

This not going unnoticed by Klaus he answered shortly, "We just had our staff Christmas party here and we're on our way home. What are you doing here? Where's Caroline?"

A few of the guys in Tyler's pack snickered.

"Caroline's at home, we were just heading to the bar down the road for a drink after a hectic study session and I can't relax with Caroline around me, she's too much of a neurotic control-freak. You must've gotten that vibe from her already."

"I know I have," one of the guys at the back of the group murmured and they started laughing.

"Is this your girlfriend?" Tyler asked gesturing to Lexie.

"No, this is Lexie, she works with me," Klaus replied his temper coming to the surface with Tyler's disrespect for Caroline.

"Well in that case, Lexie, do you want to join my party?" Tyler said grabbing Lexie by her waist and pulling her towards him.

"No thanks, " she responded, "Drunken assholes aren't really my type." She squirmed out of his hold.

"But you're exactly my type," Tyler cooed, "A hotter version of my girlfri-"

Tyler couldn't even complete his final word before Klaus' fist collided with his face.

"What the hell dude!" Tyler exclaimed, "I was just kidding around! I was going to leave the girl alone."

"This isn't for Lexie, I know she can handle herself. This is for Caroline," he said as he punched him again, "She trusts you and she thinks you're this great guy who she will never be good enough for but you are just a privileged bastard who wastes your time getting drunk and hooking up with whores," Klaus gestured to one of the scantily-clad girls with Tyler who looked extremely offended, "when you could be spending time with her. She deserves so much better than you!"

Klaus started walking away.

"Oh! So you like her!" Tyler shouted as he got up.

Klaus turned around.

"She'll never leave me for you, do you know that? Caroline worships the ground that I walk on. I can do whatever I want and she will blame herself and then take me back. She knows the life she will get with me cannot rival anything she will have with any random loser. She is so desperate for attention that she'll take whatever I give her. She's like a poodle constantly yapping at my feet."

Klaus punched Tyler again but this time Tyler was ready for him. Answering his punches with his drunken violence, the two of them fell onto the ground into what became an uncontrollable struggle. One of Tyler's friends reached out and pulled Tyler away from Klaus as Eric exited the restaurant with a frantic Lexie and immediately ran to get Klaus off of Tyler.

Tyler's friend's encompassed him, leading him off into the other direction away from Klaus as Klaus hailed a cab.

"Klaus, what was that about?" Eric asked concerned.

"The mystery girl," Klaus murmured as he got into the cab.

* * *

"Pick up your phone. Pick up your phone." Caroline muttered as she phoned Katherine for the forth time that evening.

"Who died?" Katherine whispered in the phone.

"Where are you? Why aren't you answering my calls?"

"I was at my dad's place. The bitch makes us put our phones away during dinner. I'm at home now, I can talk freely so what's the emergency?"

"No emergency, it's just that Stefan came to visit me last night and he mentioned that you and Nik went on a date on Sunday evening and neither of you told me anything. You were supposed to be my best friend!"

"That's because it wasn't much of a date. He called me, we went out for a drink, one drink turned to twelve, he was all broody, I was all hopeful for something that I now realize will never happen. I guess I thought there wasn't much to tell. Although I had a terrible hangover Monday morning."

"So nothing happened?"

"I know right, I can't believe it. He had all-access free pass to the Katmobile and he passed on it. And it wasn't for lack of trying, after my sixth drink, I was definitely a lot looser and friendlier and he just kept politely curbing me. I was thinking Care, maybe he prefers the p to the v…"

"Nah, he's not gay, I already asked."

"You asked him if he's gay?"

"Yes it came up in conversation."

"I suppose he's just not that into me, sorry for the cliché."

"Why was he all broody though? Did he seem upset? Did he mention something that happened?'

"He didn't say much, he asked a lot of questions about me, my crazy family life, how we met, our friendship etc."

"What did you tell him about our friendship?"

"I told him we were inseparable in college until you met Tyler and I was gently pushed aside."

"Kat!"

"It's true though. Mind you, he isn't a big fan of Tyler though."

Caroline sighed. "Yes, that's to be expected, I cried on his shoulder last Saturday about Tyler's non-appearance."

"But you guys made up, I saw the yacht trip photo's on Facebook."

"Yes he apologized and took me out the next day. And I never really got a chance to explain to Nik that Tyler isn't that bad of a guy and I was just exaggerating on Saturday."

"Ya, Klaus definitely got the short end of the stick. He asked me why you're with Tyler."

"And what did you say?"

"I gave the obvious answer. I told him that with Tyler you have a secure relationship. You know for sure he will marry you and that you guys have a future together. Plus you are totally suited to be a politician's wife, you are like the American Lady Diana."

"And don't forget that I love him."

"Yes but that's a given. I told him that you don't take decisions likely, and that no matter what problems you guys face you would always try and make it work."

"And what did he say?"

"He just nodded and went back to drinking."

Caroline was conflicted. The non-relationship of Katherine and Nik had just complicated things and her mind immediately went to what Katherine had said. Perhaps Nik was upset because of her reunion with Tyler? Was it too presumptuous of her to just assume that his change in mood was because of her? Maybe he was just a concerned friend, and it was mere coincidence that he had invited Katherine out on the same day that she told him she was all good with Tyler. She pondered over Katherine's observations about her as well, that she would never back out on a promise. Yes she truly believed herself to be loyal and she always claimed to want to work through any problems that her and Tyler's relationship had, but for the first time she doubted her ability to smooth over things and she was starting to wonder if it's worth it in the end.

"Care, you still there?"

"Yes sorry, I spaced out for a moment."

"So I was saying, I think you should go with pastel colors for your bridesmaids dresses because I look good in them, and Elena has the same coloring as me so it would look good on her too. Plus Bonnie looks beautiful in any color."

"Ok um Katherine, I need to go, I'll chat to you again."

* * *

Baking was her specialty. The amount of money she had fundraised for Mystic Falls High with her bake sales probably could have funded the entire school. But baking also had become an icebreaker for her, if she did not know how to deal with a particular situation; she would always distract others with her delicious goods and then hope for the best.

That was why this Friday evening after work she found herself covered with flour in the middle of her kitchen. Nik was on her mind the entire day, she felt like she was missing something in their relations. He was lovely to her but why though? It didn't seem fully platonic but then again if he was just trying to get into her pants he should have seen her as a lost cause, she was obviously not going to give into him and he should have gone for someone like Katherine who was so ready to give it up.

Nik confused her. He waltzed into her life and just changed everything. Never before had someone that she had known for such a short amount of time taken such residence in her mind. Before Nik, she was complacent with her relationship with Tyler – not truly happy but in a way she believed that this was as good as it was going to get and she should not hope for more. He challenged her, he made her think but most of all he made her believe that she was worth more then she was selling herself for, that she deserved to ecstatic and enthusiastic and passionate and not just content. He made her believe in herself.

She cleaned herself up and changed into clothes that were a little more decent than her flour-coated post-work outfit, taking some extra time to fluff out her hair perfectly without making it look like she's trying to hard. She made her way over to Nik's apartment with her tray of muffins in her hand, hoping that Nik was at home.

She knocked on the door a couple of times and then smiled to herself as she heard footsteps coming to the door but the sight she saw before her shocked her, Nik had bruises peppered all over his handsome face.

"Wow, look who joined fight club," Caroline attempted to joke.

Nik offered her a weak smile.

"Hello love, how have you been?"

"I've been seemingly normal, completely boring, I don't currently have a black and blue face. What happened to you, Muhammad Ali?"

"I was visiting a building site for work and some of the building debris fell on me. It isn't as bad as it looks."

"You should sue them, they're ruining your pretty boy image."

"Are you saying I'm not handsome enough now that I have been injured. I am hurt, sweetheart that you could be so shallow when a man is going through such a tough time."

"Oh I'm as shallow as a kiddie pool, I like having pretty things to look at. This new look of yours is cramping my style."

"And here I thought it was my sparkling personality that kept this friendship afloat."  
"Well you better get a personality fast now, I need something to entertain me."

"My looks are all but an added bonus, I don't need to it to get what I want."

"I don't believe that for a second," Caroline scoffed.

In between their artful style of bantering she had not realized how close he had gotten to her. He was sitting next to her on the couch in his living room, the two of them facing each other. She could easily count the amount of necklaces peeking through the collar of his dark grey Henley shirt, it took every urge she had inside of her not to reach out and finger the necklaces, let the material run across her hand while slowly played with the curls at the base of his neck, She once again was taken aback by his extreme amount of sexiness, that a simple object like a necklace can leave her that hot and bothered.

He put his hand onto her knee and started rubbing his thumb on the upper part of her leg. "Are you still only seeing my grotesque face?" He smirked at her.

Ignoring the butterflies having a field day inside of her, she said, "What? Because your hand is on my knee? Creepy men do that to me on the subway at least three times a week?"

"Well in that case…" His other hand moved to rest on her shoulder while his thumb

stroked her neck from her jaw to her collarbone and at the same time shifted the hand that was already on her knee to her upper thigh and gently traced circles with his index finger.

All witty and coherent thoughts vanished from Caroline's mind as she felt herself feeling more aroused by this simple action than by the fully-blown sex she had been having with Tyler over the years. She looked up at Nik through hooded eyes coated in lust and saw that he was donning a triumphant smirk on his face, obviously knowing what he's doing to her.

"Okay okay, I get your point, you can stop molesting me now."

"No, I first want to hear you say it."

"Say what?"

"That I'm not just a pretty face."

Caroline sighed deeply, "You're insufferable! Nik, you aren't just a pretty face."

"Thanks Caroline, I always knew you thought that."

Nik got off the couch and took Caroline's muffins into the kitchen.

"So I heard about your drinking extravaganza with Katherine on Sunday. She said you seemed pretty upset, do you want to chat about it?"

"It was nothing major, it was just my inferiority complex playing up again."

"Inferiority complex? Five minutes ago you were the most overconfident bastard ever."

"I'm take that as a compliment!"

"It wasn't though…"

"Let's just say I was feeling low about myself."

"Why? You an up-and-coming architect going for drinks for with a very beautiful woman who swoons at everything you do. I would say that that says a lot about your abilities."

"But it wasn't the woman that I wanted."

Caroline felt all the air around her suddenly thicken.

"What you mean?"

"Let's just say I realized that the woman I wanted to be with wasn't all that keen on me. I thought going out with Katherine would distract me from it but it just made things worse. I feel bad for using Katherine, but she was not short of admirers that evening and I think a few of them left with her phone number. She's a great girl though, very understanding."

"Wow, I can't imagine any girl not wanting to be with you."

"Well it seems I am cursed to want the one I cannot have."

Caroline grabbed a muffin and bit into it before trying to change the subject to something lighter to force her brain not to think of what just transpired. Not wanting to overthink, to believe that the woman he was referring to, is her. Although the pain and jealousy that had taken over her at the thought of someone else being object of his affections were even more disturbing and confusing then what she was already starting to feel.

* * *

The loud banging on his door made him jolt up, he took his phone from his bedside table to look at the time – 01h00. Who could be knocking at his door at this godforsaken hour? A tiny sliver of hope made him wish that it was Caroline realizing that the mystery girl was her and she was returning to say she feels the same way about him. But even in his exhausted state he knew that was a long shot.

The person on the other side of his door knocked loudly again.

"I'm coming!" Klaus shouted.

After throwing on some decent clothes he made his way to his door, opened it and his mood officially turned into rage when he saw who was standing on the other side.

"Hello brother, " Kol smirked, "Miss me?"

**A/N: I would just like to take a moment to say that I love Kol, probably more than it is healthy and I'm excited for his role in the story.**

**To defend Caroline she's an ole mess right now, it's the first time that her feelings have been really challenged. In Klaus' defense he didn't want to be one to tell Caroline about Tyler's indiscretions in the same way that he entrusted that to Tyler on the show, he doesn't want to be the one to hurt her like that.**

**For more info and if you have questions you can contact me at klaussxmaspresent dot tumblr dot com. I'm pretty nice most of the time. Hope you guys enjoy your festivities and holidays, I'll see you on the other side of Christmas.**

**P.S. The title of the chapter comes from the song by Roy Orbison**

**P.S.S. Please please review it would be the best Christmas present ever!**


	7. Thinking Of You

**Chapter 7: Thinking of You**

**A/N: So sorry for the long wait, the RL was all up in my grill and finding time to write was not in the cards. Once again thanks to everyone who reviewed, favorited and alerted this story, it really makes my day.**

"Kol, what the bloody hell are you doing here at this hour?"

"Well, I arrived in New York about three hours ago and I just stopped over at a friend's house for a little reunion before coming here," Kol answered whilst wiggling his eyebrows suggestively and walking past Klaus to put his bags down in the living room.

"No, but what are you doing here in my apartment?"

"Well, we decided that since you can never make it for Christmas, we would come here and have a nice New York Christmas, I just came a few days earlier to sort out some affairs."

"Who do you mean by 'we'?"

Kol sighed deeply and said, "We as in Elijah, Rebekah and myself. Finn and Sage obviously already live here so they're hosting Christmas lunch."

"What about Mother?" Klaus asked nervously.

"Apparently she's too ill to fly, so she's spending Christmas with Aunt Ayanna and her family."

"Okay good, we can talk in the morning. The couch is what you're currently sitting on and you can find blankets and stuff in that cupboard behind you. Good night."  
"Oh come on Nik, no more brotherly bonding? I flew all the way out here to spend some time with my favorite brother and this is the welcoming I get. Despicable!"

Klaus gave him a noncommittal wave and walked past the couch to return to his bedroom.

* * *

"He must have eggs somewhere around here, he usually offers women breakfast the morning after, one of the few gentlemanly qualities he possesses."

Klaus turned over, cursing Kol's loud voice as he adjusted his pillow.

A woman giggled, "So does he entertain a lot of women here?"

Klaus shot up as he heard Caroline's voice.

"Of course he does, it's the Mikaelson Curse that no matter how busy we currently are we will always find time to warm our beds."

"So how long are you staying here for?"

"Well my birthday is the 28th and my other brother and sister return to London the 3rd so I'll probably stay until then so I can spend time with the whole family. Plus California is at least in the same country so I'm flexible. Why? Do you want to spend more time with me?"

In minutes Klaus was up and making his way to his kitchen, not bothered that he still looked half asleep or that he was dressed only in a pair of sweatpants.

Kol looked up at him and smiled, "Oh Sleeping Beauty has arisen to the land of the living."

"Always so dramatic, Kol," Klaus murmured as he moved around the counter to kiss Caroline on her head, "Morning love."

"Morning Nik, I just came over to borrow some eggs and your brother was helping me out. Apparently he knows just as little about your kitchen as I do."

Kol looked at him quizzically as he moved back around the counter to sit at the barstool.

"That's because he's an ignorant little twat. You should've woken me up."

"Hey now, hey now, there is no need for profanities, I was just helping the damsel in distress while you slept your life away. This is why you miss out on so many opportunities, Nik."

Caroline giggled again and it annoyed Klaus to the extreme to see how easily she laughed at Kol's words, how comfortable she was around him even after only knowing him for a few minutes.

"So Kol was telling me that your whole family flew to New York just to spend Christmas with you. What makes you so special?"

"I think you already know the answer to that question, love," he replied to her with a wink.

Kol groaned, "Seriously Nik do you have to make everything sexual. Here, this lovely lady just came over to borrow some eggs and then you go and make sleazy insinuations. We can't take you anywhere. Caroline, I apologize profusely for my brother."

Klaus raised his eyebrow. "Excuse me, you are the most sordid human being ever. I would not judge if I was you. And the eggs are in the fridge behind the fruit bowl."

As Caroline turned around to search in the fridge, Kol conspicuously took the time to check out her assets; at the same time Klaus grabbed a pencil from the counter and threw it at Kol.

"Ouch! What was that for?"

Klaus glared at him, "You know!"

Caroline turned around to face the brothers, "Okay thanks Nik, nice meeting you Kol."

"Likewise Caroline," Kol said running to kiss her hand.

Klaus rolled his eyes at Kol's unnecessary display.

"Oh and Kol, what were you planning on doing for your birthday?" Caroline asked.

"I haven't really thought about it, do you have any ideas?"

"My friend Elena, could probably organize _Paramour _again and we can all party together, my friends and your family."

Kol looked at Klaus and grinned, "Can you imagine Elijah partying?"

Klaus just smiled and shook his head.

Kol looked back at Caroline, "Is your friend Elena hot?"

"Yes but she's taken," Caroline replied nonchalantly.

Kol sighed, "Apparently all the good girls are. So will you let me know the plans?"

"Yes sure, I'm brilliant at planning events!" Caroline answered excitedly.

"Just please no more homemade invitations," Klaus piped in.

"Hey you, keep quiet, I know you secretly loved those invites!"

Klaus lifted up his hands in defeat, "You got me there, the perfection of those invites have kept me up many a night."

"Ha ha ha, your sarcasm is not appreciated. But I have to go use these bad boys before my mother arrives tomorrow and complains that half the Christmas desserts haven't been made," Caroline said gesturing to the eggs, "Bye guys."

"Bye Caroline," Kol replied in a singsong voice as she exited the apartment.

Kol walked back to the kitchen where Klaus was sitting and remarked, "Well she seems…nice."

"But spoken for," Klaus commented while getting up to make coffee.

"I heard so, engaged to some law student."

Klaus unintentionally pulled a face at the mention of Tyler.

"That douchebag is the reason I now have a black and blue face."

"I saw that, didn't want to mention it in case it was a sensitive topic."  
Klaus took a sip of his coffee, "Yes I got into a bit of a fight with him in the week, he's cheating on Caroline, he lies to her all the time and he has no respect for her. The epitome of scum."

"Oh, so I see the problem is not so much that she's spoken for but that you're in love her."

"I'm not in love with her, don't be ridiculous, I'm just merely looking out for my friend."

"Nik, don't insult my intelligence, I have never seen you so smitten with a girl. Your face practically lit up when you saw her."

"Whatever Kol, I'm not going to bother arguing with you."

"And you usually hate when people other than Bekah and I call you Nik but this girl that you barely know has free reign over it. But Nik, don't be that guy, I can tell you from personal experience that hooking up with a married woman always ends in tears, usually the husband's tears when he sees how much better looking I am."

"Funny, but Caroline isn't married."

"So you admit, you are into her."

"I'm not admitting to anything. I'm just saying that if I was interested it would be okay because she is not married yet."

Kol winked at him, "I get your cryptic words. But you have to agree she looks like she's fairly talented in the bedroom. I saw her bend over earlier and she was super flexible, she was probably a gymnast or cheerleader or something."

"Say another word and I'll tear out your liver!"

"Whoah Nik, always jumping to the offensive, but it's okay, your secret is safe with me. I think you deserve happiness especially after the Tatia fiasco, if not with Caroline then with some other equally hot woman that I have on speed dial and perhaps we can find someone to take the stick out of Elijah's arse at the same time."

* * *

The sheer magnitude of the Lockwood Mansion never ceased to amaze her. As she walked through the gardens to the marquee that hosted the event, she thought about the privileged and entitled life that Tyler led. She knew that his family's connections helped him get into college and law school and even though he was working hard to maintain good grades, finding a job would not be difficult for him.

"Care, you made it!" She watched as Tyler walked up to meet her and grabbed her hand.

She leaned over to kiss him, "I wouldn't miss this for the world. Well, then again your mother wouldn't let me."

"I think she's just as proud as me to show you off."

"Uh, I doubt it but let's go with that."

Tyler led her to a table with three other young couples and introduced them as other socialites of New York society. Caroline had become accustomed to the benefits that the Lockwood's have hosted over the years. The death of the patriarch of the family had not halted the events; instead it felt as if Mrs. Lockwood was overcompensating, as if she liked to remind the society that even though she was not a politician's wife anymore, she was still an intricate part of their culture.

Tyler, being the only child, was the pride and joy of his mother. Even before the death of his father, Tyler was close to his mother. He was her golden child and in her eyes he could do no wrong. To Carol Lockwood, no girl was good enough for her Tyler but as Caroline was always eager to play the dutiful girlfriend, Carol had tentatively given their relationship her blessing, but not without some misgivings.

She attempted to listen and contribute to the conversations that Tyler was having with the other guests at that table – memories about combined holidays or mutual friends that she did not know.

None of the people at the table were making any effort to include her in their discourse and Caroline's mind wandered to her experience with Nik the evening before and that same morning. The chemistry between them was undeniable. A simple touch from him was enough to set fire to her skin. She had never understood the definition of sexual tension until she had met Nik. With Tyler, they were attracted to each other and slept together soon after, which was the premise on which their relationship was built on for many months. Nik changed everything for her; he made her feel things that she never thought possible. Blushing, heart beating faster, sweaty palms – these were for characters of soppy romance novels. Many years ago she resigned herself to the belief that if she expected men to act like the romantic heroes of books or film she was going to be bitterly disappointed, so she aimed for a relationship where she felt safe and secure. Tyler was all that and more, it didn't matter to her how many times he upset her or angered her, she knew that he intended to marry her and care for her and at the moment that was the best option she had.

After the event in where they displayed themselves as the John F. Kennedy Jr and Carolyn Bessette for the new generation, they made their way to Tyler's apartment. Sex had become like a ritual for Caroline. After four years she knew exactly where his hands would go, which parts he would kiss, how he wanted to be touched. It was easy to please Tyler. As long as she paid attention to him and did what he liked, he was happy. Sometimes she wondered what it would be like to be with someone who cared about whether she's enjoying herself, who worshiped her body, who looked at her like she was the only girl in the world. She thought of how Nik looked at her, the way his face lit up when he saw her, the kiss on her head that he gave her that morning which seemed to illuminate her whole body. She wondered what it would be like to come home to that every day, to be someone's everything, to simply be enough. She looked at the man currently thrusting in her and she wondered if he would grow to feel that way about her, or if she was hoping for too much.

Tyler rolled off of her and settled himself on the bed, ready to fall asleep. She stayed in the same position and wondered how different her night have been if she was with Nik. Knowing that he was in love with someone else, his mystery girl, had not deterred her from her continuous fantasies of his hands on her, rubbing her, caressing her. She knew nothing would become of it but right now he was her guilty pleasure.

* * *

"So how many times have you actually been here?"

"Well I visited when their daughter was born, I've been really busy with work and stuff."

"And dreaming of your hot neighbor," Kol taunted as he knocked on the door of Finn and Sage's house.

"Shut up Kol!" Klaus retorted.

"That's still not a denial I'm hearing."

Klaus' hand collided with Kol's head as Finn opened the door. They greeted him as they walked past into the living room of his humble but spacious home.

Rebekah was sitting on the couch with a little girl perched on her knee. It had been five years since Klaus had seen his favorite sibling and she had grown from a childish mean girl to poised and elegant woman.

"Aah Rebekah, is this what Oxford turns you into? A fancy socialite? Are you starting to frequent the pages of Hello Magazine?" Klaus asked as he learned over to kiss her on the cheek.

"Funny Nik, but you don't get to make jokes when you can't even make an effort to pick up the phone to find out how I'm doing. When are you going to get Facebook like everyone else?"

"I will never get Facebook, no one needs to know my business."

"Well then at least make an effort to contact us, get Skype or something."

"I promise in the New Year I shall make more of a contentious effort to keep in contact with my favorite sister."

"Easy there you might offend Kol," Elijah joked as he came from the kitchen to take Klaus' hand.

"Niklaus, it has been too long."

"Same here, how's things going with your business?"

"Surprisingly well, seeing as it is getting this one through university," Elijah said pointing to Rebekah.

"So Bekah, if we have a Skype call, will you invite some of your hot uni friends to join?" Kol asked.

"Ew Kol, stop being a perv!"

"What's a perv?" The little girl on Rebekah's lap asked.

"That Leonie is very strong word for your uncle Kol," Rebekah replied.

Leonie jumped off Rebekah and ran to Kol, "I don't care if you're a perv, you're still my favorite! Did you buy me a present?"

"Yes, I did poppet, and so did Uncle Klaus. Do you remember Uncle Klaus?"

Leonie shook her head shyly.

"He's also your daddy's brother, he's just not as cute as me, go give him a hug and a big slobbering kiss. He loves affection," Kol said smirking.

Leonie cautiously made her way over to Klaus and gave him an awkward hug and kiss while the rest of the siblings watched in amusement.

"Um sweetheart, why don't you go look at your presents," Klaus said pointing to the Christmas tree, "Go on, have at it."

Leonie excitedly made her way over to the Christmas tree to open her presents that Rebekah had set aside for her.

"Don' t you shame yourself Nik, you live in the same city as her and you are the one she knows the least," Rebekah commented.

"Well, I've been really busy with work and stuff, I just promised to make more of an effort."

"You better make more of an effort, Elijah and I flew half way across the world to spend Christmas with you!"

"Way to guilt-trip him Bekah," Kol interjected.

"You see if you had become a teacher we wouldn't be having this problem, or you would have no excuse that work had taken over your time," Rebekah responded.

"Rebekah can you imagine me as a teacher? I can barely speak to children," Klaus commented back at her.

"True, perhaps you were destined for architecture, still doesn't make everything okay. All jokes aside, we love you through everything and it isn't cool that you shut us all out especially when we knew you needed us the most."

Klaus sighed. "Can we not talk about this now?"

"I think now is the perfect time, for once we're all in one place," Rebekah said as Finn came to sit down in the living room.

"Niklaus, I think what our sister is trying to say is that we want to be there for you, we want to be a part of your life again, but you need to let us in. Kol literally went to your flat to make sure that you actually made it here today. Christmas is a time for family, you used to love Christmas so much when you were a child," Elijah said.

"But I'm not a child anymore and we can't just go to how things were. Hendrik died in a car that I was driving, Mikael is in jail, mother has gone mad, are we still going to pretend that things are the same as ten years ago?"

"Things don't have to go back to the way they were Niklaus," Finn responded, "But that doesn't mean we have to let the tragedies that have befallen our family define who we are today, we can begin anew."

A redheaded woman entered the lounge, breaking the moment that had arisen among the family members and greeted Klaus and Kol.

"Hey Sage, you bored of my brother yet? Ready to see what a real Mikaelson has to offer?" Kol joked.

Sage rolled her eyes as Leonie ran out from under Christmas tree shouting, "Mommy Mommy, Uncle Kol is a perv!"

"Honey, you don't how right you are," Sage said as she led her daughter into the dining room.

Once they were settled around the dining room table and had begun to eat, Elijah asked Kol, "So how is Silicon Valley treating you?"

"Good actually, the business is thriving, who knew that short app design course I did would earn me more money than four years at university."

"The ironies of life," Finn commented, "So Kol what are your plans for your birthday, I was thinking seeing that we are all together we could have a family dinner or something?"

"No that is much too boring for my taste, I love you guys but I want to have some fun. The girl that Nik is in love with is organizing for us to get the V.I.P section of _Paramour_," Kol responded giving Klaus a wink.

"Oooh _Paramour, _I read online that it's the hottest new club in New York," Rebekah commented between mouthfuls, "Luckily, I turned 21 already because these American laws are ridiculous. Wait, who is Nik in love with?" Rebekah dropped her fork.

"No one!" Klaus said through gritted teeth, "Kol is just being an insufferable imbecile."

"Now now this sounds interesting, " Elijah commented whilst laying his napkin on his lap, "Who is this lovely lady with whom you have become enamored with?"

"It's about bloody time," Rebekah interjected, "I hated that Tatia bitch."

"Rebekah!" Elijah exclaimed with a pointed glare at Leonie.

"It's cool," Sage responded, "I also thought Tatia was a bitch."

"Exactly, she was such a self-righteous cow, always with 'Nietzsche said this, Descartes said that', I just wanted to tell her 'nobody cares' and then she still went and cheated on you. She's lucky I wasn't in the States that time or I would have beat her ass for even daring to do that to you."

"Even though I'm grateful for your devotion to my honor, dear sister, but Tatia didn't break my heart, it was never meant to be a serious relationship. I hear she's married now to some investment banker now. And as for Caroline, she is just a friend, who happens to be engaged and Kol should refrain from making such comments."

"Caroline is a pretty name!" Leonie squeaked as Sage moved to wipe her mouth.

"Pretty girl too," Kol said knowingly, "I've never seen Nik have such googly eyes for anyone, for any friend I should say."

"Well Niklaus, I'm sure we are all looking forward to meet this _friend _of yours," Elijah commented.

Klaus knew that no matter how easy it was to hide his feelings for Caroline, no one knew him like his family. He could not predict what would come to light once his siblings were in the same vicinity as Caroline and Tyler and even Katherine and he found himself dreading the evening of Kol's birthday party.

**A/N: I love The Originals more than it is healthy, next chapter we have the Mikaelson's interacting with the Scooby Doo gang at Kol's birthday party, alpha males clash and Klaus might become very candid with Caroline.**

**Chapter title is taken from the Katy Perry song, it gives me lots of feels about Klaroline and even Jodice and the chapter was based on that song.**

**Please please please leave a review so that I know what you think!**

**Special thanks to my friend Leonie, who proofread this chapter and made a guest appearance, check out on tumblr at leetje.**

**And also follow me or talk to me on tumblr at klaussnowflake and we can be friends.**


	8. Something Stupid

**Chapter 8: Something Stupid**

**A/N: I know what you're thinking: What is this, an update? And yes, yes it is. I would like to apologize whole-heartedly for the long wait. I had a bit of personal problems and was not in the right frame of mind to write and that coupled up with Internet problems ended in a bad case of writer's block. I know that's no excuse so picture me on my knees begging for forgiveness, oh right, you don't know what I look like, picture a girl on her knees begging for forgiveness.**

**This chapter isn't beta-ed or proofread because I didn't have enough Internet time to send it out twice so another apology for any spelling or grammatical errors.**

**And here's chapter 8:**

"Tell me why we have to go to this again?" Tyler asked as he stretched himself out on the couch waiting for Caroline.

"Because it's Kol's birthday and I planned the party, how many times do I have to tell you this?" Caroline called to him as she continued to curl her hair in her bedroom.

"Who is this Kol dude anyway and why am I only hearing about him now?"

"He's Nik, um, Klaus' brother, he owns some app design firm in Silicon Valley."

"Wow, how old is this guy?"

"He's 23, apparently he came up with some brilliant idea for an app after he did some short course in app design after college and the app was such a hit that one of the big internet companies bought it from him for a hefty price which enabled him to start his own company."

"Sounds like an impressive guy, is he single?" Tyler asked with a wary look on his face.

"Why? Are you interested?" Caroline taunted, lifting her eyebrow questionably.

"Funny, Care, I was just wondering why you offered to host this stranger's birthday party."

Caroline sighed, "Because he's Klaus' brother, he's a visitor and it is a nice thing to do. Some people don't have ulterior motives to do something for someone else."

"I don't that like Klaus guy as well. I don't trust him and I think he has a thing for you."

Caroline rolled her eyes in the mirror, "Big surprise! You definitely flatter me too much with amount of guys who you think are interested in me. And Klaus is just a friend, or is it against your rules for me to have male friends now? Do Stefan and Jeremy pass the test? We all know Damon is barely allowed to speak to me."

"Don't bring Damon into this!" Tyler exclaimed as he stood up to glare at her.

"No, I think it's the perfect time to bring up Damon," Caroline shouted as she came out of her bedroom to face Tyler, "He's coming tonight, Stefan just texted me and I was too scared to tell you but you know what you're being unreasonable. So Master Lockwood what kinds of decorum do I need to adhere to in order to speak to males tonight? Should I not hold eye contact for longer than two minutes? Should I change into an ankle-length dress? Or should I just speak when you allow it?"

"Caroline, you're being unnecessary now, can we just leave before this blows up far more then it needs to be," Tyler said put his hand on her arm.

"Fine!" Caroline exclaimed, "Let me just fetch my bag and then we can go."

* * *

"I must say Niklaus, I never saw myself attending a night club," Elijah remarked as he straightened his tie in Klaus' bathroom mirror.

"Believe me, I felt the same way the last time that Caroline dragged me out with her but she's one persuasive woman," Klaus replied, smiling to himself.

"So how are things going at Saltzman and Associates, are you planning on staying there?"

"Well yes, that's the plan. Mr. Saltzman adores me and I work the hardest out of everyone in the company. I assume I will be Vice-President in about three years," Klaus commented matter-of-factly.

"Vice-President, that's an ambitious goal, even for you, Niklaus. Saltzman and Associates are one of the most reputable architecture companies in the United States."

"I wasn't born to take orders from someone else, especially the insolent fools that work there. I work hard so that I can rise in the ranks above those idiots and can demand the respect that I deserve."

"Niklaus, I don't wish to speak out of turn but perhaps your determination for success and power has to do with wanting to prove Father wrong and you need to start doing things for yourself or else you will lead a very unfulfilling life."

"And you? What are you doing for yourself? You spend all your time making sure mother and Rebekah are cared for and that Kol is kept in check that it seems you have not had a shred of fun in centuries. I like being powerful and in control, it's what makes me happy and my eventual promotion is something that I know for sure will happen and that at least I have something to look forward to in my future," Klaus replied grimly.

Elijah stared at him for a moment with a furrowed brow and then nodded to himself.

"A tie! Really Elijah? To a night club?" Rebekah's intrusion breaking the conversation the brothers were having.

"Well Rebekah, all occasions require one to look presentable," Elijah responded to her.

"Presentable yes, like a wanker no!"

Klaus chuckled and Kol came into the doorframe of his room. "I told you, Bekah, you owe me $20, actually make it pounds, it's worth more."

"Whatever! Elijah please take off that tie, we want to make a good impression, and we don't want to scare people into thinking that they're getting subpoenaed."

"And plus no one is going to shag you when you look you're getting ready to do their taxes," Kol added in with a grin.

* * *

Caroline found herself walking the same path through the sweaty bodies of intertwined couples to the V.I.P. section of _Paramour. _As they entered the lounge, Caroline felt someone pull her into a corner.

"You could have warned us!" Bonnie hissed at her.

"Warned you about what? Damon being here? I didn't know that was a problem for you?" Caroline asked confused.

"No! I don't care about Damon! It's about the overflow of hotness that has suddenly taken over this very small lounge. Klaus' family has some serious good genes. Jeremy was kind of pissed that when we arrived Elena and I stood for like ten minutes staring with our mouths open at them."

Caroline looked over at the section where the Mikaelsons were seated. Kol and Damon seemed to be in some kind of heated debate whilst Nik was conversing seriously with an older gentleman who seemed very distinguished but no less handsome than his younger brothers. The youngest Mikaelson, and only female appeared to be in conversation with her two brothers but one with an observant eye would be able to see her sneaking glances at the older Salvatore brother, the danger obviously appealing to the straight-laced Oxonian. Caroline was struck by her natural beauty, Rebekah Mikaelson was not some run-of-the-mill pretty girl, she was bombshell, born to demand attention and adoration.

"Well I better text Katherine," Bonnie muttered still not taking her eyes off the Mikaelson brothers, "Or else her ovaries will probably explode when she sees the spread before her."

Bonnie made her way over to the small table where Stefan, Elena and Jeremy were drinking cocktails while Caroline went to greet the Mikaelsons and Tyler tagged along grudgingly.

"Happy Birthday, Kol!" She exclaimed.

"Ah if it isn't Disco Barbie and Spoilt Brat Ken, everyone's favorite duo," Damon quirked as he and Kol broke off their argument and looked at the recently arrived couple.

Caroline felt Tyler tense up next to her and she rested a hand on his forearm reassuringly.

"Thanks Caroline, and thank you for this entire set-up," Kol responded politely, "This must be your lucky fiancé. Kol Mikaelson." Kol held out his hand to shake Tyler's hand.

Tyler reciprocated and responded, "Tyler Lockwood."

"Tyler Lockwood, I heard you and my brother had quite the run in, just a couple of days ago," Kol inquired slyly.

Caroline looked at Tyler curiously.

"Oh I might have seen Klaus on my way to class one afternoon, nothing special. Damon Salvatore, good to see you again," he nodded towards Damon.

"Can't say the same," Damon replied in a chipper voice.

"Well, I can see where I'm not wanted. Babe, do you want a drink?" Tyler turned to Caroline, who was now sending dagger stares at Damon.

"Yes please, I have a feeling tonight is going to get very interesting."

* * *

"I believe if mine and Kol's businesses continue to well, we might be able to put Mother in a good nursing home or perhaps hire a few full-time nurses to help her around the house because Aunt Ayanna is getting on in her years and shouldn't have to take care of Mother all the time," Elijah explained to Klaus.

Klaus had barely paid attention to anything that Elijah had said to him since Caroline and Tyler had walked through the door. A couple of nods and 'I agree' seemed to appease Elijah while he carried on with his speech, ignorant of all the new arrivals around him.

Klaus felt someone tugging on his sleeve. "Is that her?" Rebekah hissed at him, looking pointedly at Caroline, who seemed to be finished telling off Damon Salvatore as Kol watched amused, and she was making her way towards them.

"Yes, and please don't do anything embarrassing," Klaus muttered to her.

"Nik!" She said, perhaps a little bit too excitedly.

"Caroline, love, good to see you," Klaus got up to greet her and kissed her softly on her cheek, his lips lingering a second too long, "Meet my older brother, Elijah and my insolent baby sister, Rebekah." He gestured to his siblings.

"Oh the famous Caroline, it is an honor," Elijah commented while taking her hand, "Have a seat, Rebekah and I have dying been to meet you."

Caroline shot him a wide smile and said, "I will in a second, I just need to go greet my other friends and make sure my boyfriend is fine."

As Caroline turned around to acknowledge her friends, Kol took a seat next Rebekah. "So…what's the verdict? Or are we waiting for Finn and Sage to arrive before we come to a consensus?" Kol said.

"No, stop this. Caroline is just a friend," Klaus argued.

"Niklaus, I would have to agree with Kol there. I, for one do not greet my female friends so enthusiastically and sensually, you almost jumped out of your seat," Elijah smirked.

"That's because you don't have any female friends!" Klaus bit back.

Sage and Finn entered at that time and introduced to themselves to the other members of the group.

"Happy Birthday Kol," Finn said while shaking Kol's hand, "Sorry we're so late but our juvenile delinquent babysitter was AWOL yet again and we had to drop Leonie by Sage's mother."

"So what are we looking at?" Sage asked as she moved from wishing Kol to take a seat next to Elijah.

"We're giving our opinion's on the object of Nik's affections," Kol answered whilst not taking his eyes off of Caroline.

"Oh the beautiful Caroline, we just had the pleasure of meeting her," Finn replied.

"She is definitely pretty, Nik, but she's engaged, this will just end in pain," Rebekah noted.

"I love how none of you are taking my 'Caroline is just a friend' into consideration," Klaus responded in a bored tone.

"But whether she will remain engaged is another question. This Tyler bloke seems like an idiot he will mess it up for himself before long," Kol commented.

"Kol, how about that birthday drink now," Klaus said as he stood up.

"Sure, I would be a fool to turn down free alcohol."

As Klaus made his way to the bar, he watched as Caroline sat perched on Tyler's lap as she was chatting to Elena and Bonnie. Tyler's hands were on her legs, while his eyes roamed around the club, occasionally pausing on an exposed leg or the indention of a low-cut top. Klaus looked at him disgusted, he had the most beautiful woman in the entire building literally in his lap and he was not satisfied. Klaus would kill for Caroline to be his, even just for a minute, and here was Tyler, flippantly wasting his chance. Klaus really needed to have a good couple of drinks if he was going to stomach watching Caroline with Tyler.

* * *

"Stop panicking, the fun has arrived!" Katherine exclaimed as entered the lounge, "Now where are these hot guys that Bonnie texted me about?"

"I sure hope you were talking about me, Bonnie?" Jeremy asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Of course," Bonnie kissed him after shaking her head furiously, "And plus don't think I didn't see you checking out Posh Spice over there." She gestured to Rebekah who seemed to be deep in conversation with Damon.

"Sort of a mixture between Posh and Baby Spice," Elena commented.

"It looks like Damon didn't waste anytime," Katherine noted.

"Does he ever?" Caroline commented, shaking her head, "But come on Kat, let me introduce you to them?"

Caroline watched as Elijah's eyes rested on the twosome that was coming towards them and he smiled reassuringly, moving over to offer them Klaus and Rebekah's empty seats.

"Katherine, these are Nik's older brothers, Finn and Elijah and this is Sage, Finn's wife. This is my college friend, Katherine. Their sister is the one with Damon over there and the other brother is at the bar with Nik."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Katherine," Elijah smiled as he took her hand.

If Caroline had to pick which one of Nik's brothers would have gotten on the best with Katherine, she would have chosen Kol, with their shared childlike enthusiasm and partying attitude. But as she watched Katherine conversing with Elijah, she realized how much she underestimated her friend. Katherine wasn't using any of her usual tricks: no casual bend-overs in order to put her cleavage on display, no hand lingering on his leg. She was talking to Elijah earnestly but yet she still seemed to mesmerize him.

* * *

"Nik! I have to hand to you. This is possibly the best birthday party I've ever had. If we only get you the girl, then it'll be perfect," Kol said as he slammed another shot glass on the bar.

"What about a girl for you?" Klaus leered at him.

"Oh, that's no bother, I'm sure any one of these women would be all too keen to show me their bed chamber."

Klaus shook and smiled, "Some things never change," and took another swig of the amber liquid in his glass, already swaying from drinking far over his limit.

"Klaus Mikaelson?!" A hurricane of brunette hair and high heels fell upon Klaus, pulling him into a tight embrace.

"Hayley? What a surprise?" Klaus said in a confused tone.

"My friend Jules over there was checking you out and I was like 'I know that guy he works with me' and she was like 'no way' and I had to show her that I know you…" she stopped as she caught sight of Kol, blatantly staring.

"Oh where are my manners? Hayley, this is my baby brother, Kol, it's his birthday today; and Kol this is Hayley, she works in the legal department at my firm."

"Happy Birthday Klaus' Baby Brother! So do you guys want to join us in our booth?" Hayley asked, looking particularly interested in Kol.

"Lead the way!" Kol replied while raising his eyebrows suggestively.

* * *

Caroline watched as the woman threw herself at him, how he steadied her with his strong arms and her eyes followed him and Kol to the booth where her equally bubbly friend looked happy to meet them. Caroline felt a surge of jealousy overtake her. This woman was unfamiliar and therefore unpredictable. Nik obviously knew her by the way he had greeted her. Could this be his mystery woman? She was certainly beautiful, with her long dark hair and unique face, she seemed ooze sexiness and her dress was short, tight and left little to imagination. Caroline scoffed at her lack of attire but inwardly she knew that if she wanted to continue being friends with Nik, she would have to curb her bitterness and get used to seeing him with other women.

She smiled at the man next to her, the one she had chosen with whom to spend the rest of her life with. Tyler looked conflicted, his hand rising to bunch his hair.

"Care, I will be back, I'm just going to the bathroom," he said as he got up.

Caroline stood up with him, "Sure thing!" and surprised him by kissing him, "Hurry back" and she sat back down but not without noticing Stefan narrowing his eyes at the exchange.

* * *

He watched as Tyler's figure drew nearer and nearer to the booth. Ignoring all the other occupants, he grabbed Hayley by her arm and pulled her out of the booth.

"What are you doing here, Hayley? Are you following me again?" Tyler hissed at her.

"No," she looked skittishly around at Jules, searching for help, "Jules and I just came out for a drink, I promise, I know you're with your girlfriend tonight."

"Don't lie to me! You have to stop pulling these stunts!" His hand on her arm tightened.

"I just wanted to see what she looked like…" Hayley whispered in a barely audible tone.

"Mate, I suggest you unhand the lady, before you feel the wrath of another Mikaelson," Kol threatened as he stood up from his seat.

"Dude, I suggest _you _stay out of this. It's between Hayley and I," Tyler answered cockily.

Hayley let out whimper as if she was used to Tyler's temper.

"What about Caroline?" Klaus commented from his seat at the booth, "I think she should know about this, to know exactly the type of man she is marrying."

"I agree with you, brother," Kol chirped in, "Perhaps we should call Caroline over, so she can for herself the scum which is allowing in her life. Hayley, I can't believe a lady like you would become associated with an asshole like him."

Tyler scoffed. "Lady? She's a common whore."

Within seconds, Kol's fist made contact with Tyler's face. Klaus smirked approvingly.

Tyler lunged forward to avenge himself but Klaus grabbed hold of him, foiling his attempts of a counterattack.

As if on cue, a handful of bouncers made their way to the three of them and escorted them out of the nightclub.

"It's pathetic, you know, that you guys are scrounging after my scraps," Tyler spat at the brothers.

Klaus sat down on the sidewalk with his head in his hands, the amount he had to drink evident, "I can't lose her to you, no, not when you think this little of her. She deserves to be treated like a queen." He shook his head.

"What are you saying there?" Tyler leered at him, "You putting her on a pedestal, she's nothing special. The only reason I've stuck with her for so long is because she's so dumb and insecure that she does whatever I tell her to do."

"That'll be your downfall, you underestimate her. She's much stronger than you give her credit for and she'll realize what you piece of rubbish you are," Klaus challenged him.

"Whatever, I'm out of here. I've had enough crazy for one day." Tyler said as he hailed a cab.

* * *

Caroline looked over at where the bathrooms were allocated and once again she could not see Tyler emerging from them. As if by instinct she glanced at the table that Nik was sitting at earlier, seeing it now occupied by a new group of people. Her heart sank; she could not help but come to the conclusion that they had moved their party to a more intimate location.

"Caroline!" Katherine plonked down into the seat next to her, "Elijah and I are leaving now."

"Oh! There's an 'Elijah and I' now," Caroline teased.

Katherine sighed. "Yes, he's so handsome and intelligent and interesting. I don't think I have ever sat so long listening to a man talk and the conversation wasn't about me. He's different, he intrigues me."

Caroline gave a friend a small smile, happy that for first time, Katherine seemed excited to be with man not just because he offers a distraction or showers her with attention.

"Plus," Katherine whispered in her ear, "I'm curious to see if his sword is as mighty as his word."

Caroline giggled and shook her head.

The V.I.P lounge was emptying out now that Elijah and Katherine were leaving and Finn and Sage had left a few hours earlier in order to fetch their daughter from her grandmother. Rebekah and Damon had long since disappeared and Bonnie and Elena were dancing up a storm. Caroline was about to join her friends on the dance floor when Stefan and Jeremy entered the lounge.

"Care, we were just outside and we got Klaus and Kol there, they said they were thrown out for fighting, and apparently Tyler left," Stefan explained.

"What!" Caroline screeched causing a few people nearby to turn around curiously, "He didn't even text me or anything, I would have spent the whole night waiting for him to come out of the bathroom."

"That's Tyler though," Jeremy commented, "Never thinks twice about what other people as long as his ends are met."

"Okay not the time, Jeremy," Stefan said with a stern glare, "Come on, get your coat, Care, I'll go call the girls.

Once Caroline had left the club she saw the brothers once again surrounded by their two companions, she overhead the brunette talking to Kol, "I can't believe you punched him! He always treats me like that and like an idiot, I keep going back to him. No one has ever stood up for me like that."

She approached the foursome cautiously, "Hey guys, what's going on?"

Klaus looked up at her with an elated smile on his face and belted out "SWEET CAROLINE BUMP BUMP BUMP GOOD TIMES NEVER SEEM SO GOOD!"

"Shh Klaus!" She put her hand over his mouth as he carried on singing into her palm.

Kol stood up, "As you can see my brother is extremely intoxicated, would you be able to see that he gets home without causing anymore problems and I shall do my gentlemanly duties and make sure these ladies get home safely."

"Gentlemanly?!" Caroline scoffed, "Although you can prove your chivalry to me by getting me cab so that I can get this drunken fool home."

Once the cab Kol had beckoned was on the sidewalk beside the blonde couple, Caroline whispered to Klaus, "Nik, I'm going to take my hand off your mouth now, but you have to promise me you won't make a noise. Can you promise me that?"

Klaus nodded his head with a determined look on his face. Caroline removed her hand from his mouth and smiled proudly at him when he remained silent as if to say "Good boy".

When they were both in the backseat of the vehicle, she heard him whisper, "Thank you, Caroline." The way he pronounced her name once again sending shivers down her spine.

"Well I do owe you," she replied, "The last time we were here, I was in your position, and you took care of me. It would have been wrong of me not to return the favor."

He turned to face her, his expression suddenly serious, "No, I mean thank you for everything. For being my light, for giving me hope, for showing me that it is possible for me to love again."

Caroline took a deep breath while Klaus turned back to face his window, seemingly content with what he had confessed, quietly singing 'Sweet Caroline' to himself.

They did not utter another word to each other until they had reached their apartment building.

"Nik, I'm going to go inside with you, just to make sure you get in alright."

Klaus looked at her for a second, confused and then nodded before unlocking the door and standing aside for her to enter. Caroline walked straight to the kitchen and poured him a glass of water. "Now, I want you to drink this and then get straight into bed. No fiddling around or painting or drawing or catching up on work. Water and then bed, do you understand me?"

"Why are you with him?" Klaus said blankly to her from the other side of the room.

Caroline sighed, "Nik, just drink your water."

Klaus walked up to her and took the drink out of her hand, never losing eye contact. He took a sip before putting it down on the counter and repeating himself, "Why are you with him? He doesn't respect you, he doesn't appreciate you and he will never love you as much as I do."

"Nik, you're drunk. You don't mean any of this, just finish your water, we can talk again tomorrow morning."

"I have never been so sure of anything in my life then how I feel about you. You are all I think about, all I want. You consume every fiber of my being."

"You barely know me…"

"I know enough to know that it has been you that I have been waiting for all this time and I cannot let you leave here tonight without showing you how I feel."

Before Caroline could comprehend what was happening Klaus' lips had collided with hers. He tasted strongly of scotch and other substances she could not recognize; the energy of the kiss enveloped her whole and she opened her mouth, eager to experience more of him. Their tongues danced together with expert skill, his intoxication doing nothing to hinder his abilities. Klaus' hands moved to her waist as he marched her backwards until her rear was flush against the kitchen door. Her hands moved to get lost in his hair, pulling him closer to her, not wanting to give up the amazing feelings he had ignited in her.

His lips moved from her now raw lips to her jaw before he began to place open-mouthed kisses on her neck, the ministrations causing her to picture all the sinful things she would to do to him and what she wouldn't mind him doing to her in return.

His hand moving to her upper-thigh was the catalyst, which caused her brain to kick into motion. She closed her eyes, praying that her body forgive her, as she put each of her hands on his shoulders and pushed him off of her, "Nik, you need to stop, this isn't right."

"You looked like you were enjoying yourself."

"But this isn't me. I'm engaged; I don't do things like cheat. I'm sorry, Nik, I have to go." She sighed once more before exiting his apartment.

As she stood in front of her door, looking for her keys, she could not help but think that she might have just walked away from the best thing to ever happen to her. The minute she had walked into her apartment her cellphone started ringing, wondering who would be calling her at such an early hour, she saw Steven's name flash across her caller ID.

"Hey Steven, what's wrong?" She asked in an alarmed tone.

"Caroline, it's your dad, he's had another heart attack. It doesn't look good, you need to get to the hospital."

**A/N: And as Shakespeare would say "And now the shit doth hitteth the fan".**

**A lot is going to go happen now that Caroline knows Klaus' true feelings for her but she also has her own personal battles to overcome and would Tyler let her go without a fight? There are some cupcakes in the next chapter. I promise the wait won't be so long again. This chapter was exhausting to write with large amount of characters. **

**Is anyone still reading this story? Or is it one of those that you cringe when you see it in your inbox, remembering that drunken night when you followed it on a whim? Drop me a line if you're still reading this or catch me on Tumblr at klaussnowflake dot tumblr dot com.**


	9. Arms

**A/N Thank you everyone for the amazing reviews! They were really nice, suspiciously nice, who bribed you guys? And send their names, if they have spare money lying around, I want to know them. And thank you to everyone who pestered and bothered me to update, it helps a lot, I tend to procrastinate and your messages encourage me to carry on writing.**

**With regards to the reviews, almost all of you asked the same question, and I wanted to avoid talking about this but it seemed unfair to you so upon the subject of Tyler: I am in the minority of Klaroline fans who are also fans of Tyler but every story needs their villain and the Tyler has lovely fit into that role in my story and unlike the TVD writers I think that a good villain isn't that easy to get rid of. In this story, Caroline and Tyler have been together for four years which is like a million in dog years, they have gone through tough times together and yes, she does not know about his indiscretions, but according to her she loves him. Don't worry I'm not a closet Forwood shipper and everything will come right eventually…**

**Sorry for all spelling and grammatical errors, it is not beta-ed and I wrote it in the early hours of the morning, but here is chapter nine…**

There are certain truths, which one chooses to ignore – we will get old, prices will rise, and there will come a time when we would have to live in a world without our parents. They become such a staple in our lives that we take it for granted that they will always be there. Fights last longer than they should, unnecessary words get thrown around; terms of endearment are brushed aside. But when they are taken from you, all of these moments with ceased to matter before begin to come to the surface. You wish you hadn't argued over that petty thing that doesn't matter anymore, you wish that you had made more time to spend with them, you wish that you had told them you loved them more.

Caroline looked across the waiting room at a father holding his daughter as she fell asleep, his son sleeping across the other three plastic chairs. Caroline wondered where their mother was, what they were waiting for, if they'll leave the hospital relieved or heavy-hearted like her.

She had barely sat down in the waiting room next to Steven when the doctor had come out of the operating room to say that they had lost her father on the operating table, his heart was simply too weak for it to be saved. Steven had broken down next to her before the doctor had finished explaining everything and as Caroline held him, she stared into the distance, not being able to comprehend that she now has to live in a world without the man who has always played the title role in her life.

A half an hour after they heard the news, Steven's sister arrived to take him home.

"Caroline, are you going to be alright?" He asked concerned. She gave him her best attempt at a smile and said, "Yes sure, you go along home. I will be fine."

"I called your mother, she said she's going to fly up as soon as she gets someone to cover her shifts but in the meantime you should call Tyler or Katherine, you shouldn't be alone at this time." She nodded as he turned around and walked out of the hospital.

She needed a moment to review her thoughts, to think about the fact that she could no longer run to her father when no one else understands her, they will no longer have their late night phone calls when they would discuss the latest episode of _The Walking Dead _and suggest books that the other one should read. She tried to phone Tyler and then Katherine but neither of them were answering their phones and so with one last glance at the two children asleep opposite her and saying a quick prayer that whoever they were waiting for would leave the hospital well, she made her way back home.

The trip back to her apartment building passed by with a blur and in her later years when she recalled that day it seemed almost as if she went straight from the hospital into the elevator in her building. She carried on phoning Tyler and Katherine over and over but to no avail. Once she had reached her bedroom she realized that there was no way she could avoid her feelings anymore and she broke down and cried. She cried for the loss of one of the most significant relationships she would ever have, she cried because her father would never be able to walk her down the aisle, she cried that her future children would never know what an amazing man their grandfather was, she cried for all the moments that they would not be able to experience together.

Everything in her apartment started to remind her of her father: the painting that he gave her when she graduated college, the Tupperware, which she borrowed from him on Christmas and was yet to return, the large Webster's dictionary he bought her when he complained that she used too many abbreviations in her texts, the chair he had sat on the last time he came to visit her. Every item seemingly making the pain feel that much worse every time her eyes fell upon something new which reminded her of him.

She needed to get out, to not have to be trapped in her own mind, where guilt and regrets kept resurfacing. She tried to contact Katherine and Tyler one last time before making up her mind what she should do.

She stared at the brass number 107 for a while before plucking up the courage to reach up and knock. The last time she was in the apartment a lot had transpired between them and she was worried that their relationship was strained, that things would now be awkward. She knocked again, louder in case he was still nursing a hangover from his activities from the previous night. She heard him scuffling as he opened the door, obviously shocked to find her on the other side, she launched herself at him, needing to feel some form of contact and comfort from someone who cared about her.

He moved his arms around her cautiously, embracing her and allowing her to cry, not wanting to question her or to prompt her to speak when she was not ready.

Her sobbing eased as he moved her to his couch. Comforting someone was a new experience for Klaus. He was usually the cause of people's tears not part of their solution. As he rubbed her back, her head suddenly rose from his chest and her breathing evened out again.

"What happened, love?" He asked gently.

She sighed and answered, "It's my dad, he had a heart attack and he didn't make it." Another sob passed through her as Klaus pulled her close again, letting her cry out all the feelings that she was finding difficult to articulate.

"Do you want to talk about it or something?" Klaus asked her.

"No," she replied between sobs, "Can you just hold me a little longer? I just don't want to be alone."

Klaus nodded as he stretched her out on his couch and he lay down next to her, holding her close. The last time he remembered cuddling with someone was when he was dating Tatia and then it was out of duty more than enjoyment. With his later dalliances, cuddling was not necessary as he moved in super speed to get out or if they had spent the night at his place, he made sure boundaries were kept. This was the first time in his existence that he wanted to cuddle with and care for someone else, he wanted to help Caroline get through this difficult time and to be the one who made her smile again. These feelings both scared and intrigued him.

"You know in the back of my mind I always knew this day would come. When I would join the Dead Parents club,' she whispered quietly against him.

"What do you mean?" He answered.

"Well Tyler lost his dad, Katherine lost her mom, Damon and Stefan, both their mom and dad. I never realized how lucky I was to have both of parents. I never appreciated him when he was still around." She started crying softly again.

"Love, I'm sure he knew how important he was to you and how much you loved him," Klaus tried to appease her.

"You didn't know my dad, he stressed over everything. He blamed himself for everything. He was probably still worrying about why I left Christmas lunch early to meet Tyler instead of staying to watch _It's A Wonderful Life _with him, he probably thought it was because of something he said or something he'd done. I didn't tell him how perfect Christmas was, how perfect everything he planned was."

Klaus was silent for a moment before saying, "When my youngest brother, Hendrik passed on five years ago I was broken. I thought everything was my fault and I pulled away from my family and everyone that I cared about, focusing instead on need for power and control, things that won't hurt me."

"What did you do, to get better?" She asked, looking pleadingly at him.

"Someone told me that some things happen in life which we have no control, that life throws us curveballs, we make mistakes, tragedies happen and many times we are the consequences of other people's choices. It took a while for me to realize these things, I had to learn to accept that I can't control how things end up but I could carry on living, as my way of commemorating Hendrik."

Klaus took a deep breath, "Hendrik was the one who loved the most, he saw the good in us, when we couldn't see it in ourselves and I think he was the glue that kept us all together. After he passed I lived a predictable life, never getting too close to any person and letting my career become my prime focus but now that I am reunited with my family and I feel the loss of Hendrik more profoundly, I know that we could not expect him to be one to reconnect all of us, we had to do it on our own to see that the love we hold for each other goes deeper than just a simple family bond."

"And where are your parents?" Caroline asked him curiously as he gazed down upon her.

"My father, or my step-father, Mikael was a very cruel man who did not think much of his children, his pride was a more important feat but he thought even less of me, my mother's illegitimate child, proof of her preference for another man who mysteriously disappeared a few days after Mikael found about the affair. When the courts were taking too long to prosecute the drunk driver who was responsible for the accident that killed Hendrik, he took the law into his own hands. But he was not as careful as he was with my father's murder and the police caught him, he is now serving a life-sentence in prison. The stress of the death of my brother coupled with Mikael's incarceration was too much for my mother and she began to retreat into her self until her mind was the only thing keeping her company. Elijah stays with her with a help of some nurses and my aunt Ayanna. I didn't have a good relationship with my mother as well, she shunned me as I was the proof of her shame and she did nothing to stop the abuse that Mikael bestowed upon me. I didn't feel the loss of either of them."

Caroline ran her hand down his arm in a soothing motion and whispered, "I'm so sorry, Nik, I didn't know you had such a difficult life."

Klaus shrugged off her attempts to comfort him back, "It's okay, it's the only life I know. You should know that one day it will become easier and you'll learn to move on but for now you should be grateful that you had a father who loved and cared for you which I'm sure he did because it is impossible not to love you."

She stared him for a moment, speechless, and the air around them became thick as it often did when they were together. He knew he had to move away but he could tear his eyes away from hers. There was so much pain there, so much hurt but just like in the picture that was emblazoned on his mind he saw a flicker of hope and strength, she truly was the most remarkable woman that he had ever come across.

"Do you have any cake flour?" Caroline shot up and asked, her voice breaking the trance.

"Wha-at?" Klaus asked confused.

"Cake flour? Do you have any? Baking always helps me when I'm feeling sad and it was something my dad used to do with me when my mom would work late. Then again now that I think about my mom should have picked up on the signs of him being gay ages ago," she said thoughtfully.

Klaus chuckled as he climbed off the couch, "Coming to think of it, you're lucky, Rebekah baked Kol a birthday cake here yesterday and seeing as she always buys everything in excess, there should be ingredients leftover."

"Goody!" Caroline exclaimed enthusiastically, "I can probably make vanilla cupcakes, you don't need much for that."

"Yes goody," Klaus said as he followed her into the kitchen.

She turned around and narrowed her eyes at him, "Are you making fun of me, Mr. Mikaelson?"

"And what if I am, Miss Forbes?"

"Well then you just won't get a cupcake!" She said as she put her nose and turned on a heel to continue her quest to the kitchen.

"I'm fine with that, I'm not such a fan of cupcakes anyhow. I think they are a tad overrated," he called after her.

"How can you not like cupcakes?" she asked him shocked as he entered the kitchen, "That's like not like kittens."

"More of a dog man myself," he said with a smirk.

"It's because you haven't tasted cupcakes made by me, they're in a league of their own," she said as she searched in the fridge for the milk and eggs.

"I'm already a fan of _your _cupcakes," Klaus muttered to himself as he sat on a barstool.

"So where are the millions of other Mikaelson's today? I thought your place might be crawling with them."

"Well Elijah and Rebekah are staying at a hotel and I haven't heard from either of them whole day and Kol never came home last night he probably went home with Hayley, I saw the two of them looking very cozy."

"Hayley was the girl with the dark hair?" Caroline fished for information.

Klaus looked at her sadly, knowing that there was so much about Tyler and Hayley, which she should know, which she deserved to know but she had just lost her father. How much pain would she be able to take? It would be unfair to let her whole life be destroyed in one day. Regardless of how he felt about Tyler, even how he felt about her, this was not the moment to tell her that the person who she has promised her life to wasn't who she thinks he was.

"Yes, the tall one with the long dark hair. She works with me at Saltzman and Associates, in the legal department. She was seeing a terrible guy who was juggling her and another girl but she seemed to take a liking to Kol last night even though Kol isn't the relationship type he is usually an honest guy. Girls know what they're getting into when they get involved with him."

"And her friend? The blonde one? You looked pretty cozy with her until you became embarrassingly drunk," Caroline asked with an arched brow as she sifted the dry ingredients.

"Oh Jules, I just met her last night but I was too intoxicated to make any judgments but I probably acted so shamefully she wouldn't want to see me again."

Caroline snorted as she cracked the eggs, "Probably."

He wanted to bring up his drunken confession, still fresh his mind. He wanted to bring up the fact that he wanted her more than he had ever wanted anyone else in his life. That the entire day all he could think was her, her lips under his, the way her body felt against his, the way they fitted together almost as if their bodies were molded to complement each other. For the first time in his life he had a glimpse of what it felt like to be complete. But he knew deep within his heart that he would not bring up what had transpired between them before she did, before she was comfortable but for now she was avoiding the subject, preferring to pretend that it never happened. At that moment he knew that he would wait for her until the time was right, even if he had to wait until his dying breath.

She smiled at him as she beat the ingredients, seemingly deep in thought as well. "So how long do these take to bake?" he asked as he dipped a finger in the batter and then brought it up to his lips as she smacked his hand for daring to reach in her bowl.

"About fifteen minutes maximum," she replied as she began to pour the batter into the muffin tray.

"Are you sure about that?" he teased, "It seems like you're just making this up as you go along and wasting my ingredients as well."

She threw a handful of flour at him and said indignantly, "Excuse me, I've been baking since before you were born."

"Which is kind of impossible seeing as you are two years younger than me, unless you were baking as a sperm cell?" he replied whilst retaliating with his own handful of flour.

"Oh Mr. Architect is showing his smarts, we'll see how smart you are when you're covered in flour," she giggled as she shoved two handfuls of flours and covered his torso with the white powder.

"That's it Missy!" He said as he grabbed the entire bag of flour, "No more Mr. Nice Architect" and he emptied the bag over her head, covering her from head to toe in flour.

"You are the devil incarnate!" She shouted at him at she launched herself on to him wiping some of the flour off on him.

"And you, love, look like Frosty the Snowman gone wrong."

Caroline opened her mouth to retaliate but all that came out was a hearty laugh. A laugh that seemed to shake her entire being, it felt has if she had not laughed like that in the longest time.

"So Satan's spawn, can I borrow something to change into while we're waiting for the cupcakes to bake?"

Klaus, who was laughing along with her, clutched his stomach and said, "Yes, I'm sure you can find a T-shirt and sweatpants in the third drawer in my bedroom."

Caroline realized it was the first time she was in Nik' bedroom; it looked much the same as the rest of the house with the dark colors and wooden surfaces. She walked past his large four-poster bed and she couldn't help but think that the gothic theme of the room suited him.

She washed her face and tried to remove as much flour out of her hair as possible in his en-suite bathroom. Somehow in the midst of talking to and teasing Nik, she had forgotten her sadness and pain. She was nowhere near better or content but she knew that she would be okay, perhaps not in a week, or in a month, but someday she will see happiness again.

Whenever she thought about her future with Tyler, she always saw them standing together hosting a party, or him reciting a heartfelt speech whilst she stood next to him, supporting him. But that day for the first time, she saw a different future for herself, she could see herself and Nik sitting in that same place twenty years from now as she baked and he teased her, making her smile, her heart flutter. For the first time she took into consideration what he had confessed to her the previous night, that she had an option, she had a chance to take a different route, an unpredictable route but perhaps that route led to her complete self, her true happiness.

She made her way back into his bedroom to get some replacement clothes from his drawer, strangely excited that she would wearing clothes that were owned by him, that smelt like him. She pulled out a grey long-sleeved T-shirt and black sweatpants, thinking to herself that he was rather neat for a male, when she saw the edge of a photograph peek out from under his clothes, a very familiar photograph. She lifted up the remainder of his T-shirts and saw the image of her eighteen-year-old self in her cheerleading uniform staring back at her and next to it, a penmanship she all too recognized. She opened the letter to see the note she had written to her father all those years ago, to appease him to help him with the guilt he felt because of Steven's accident. Suddenly she was struck with anger as she made her way to the kitchen where Nik was taking the cupcakes out of the oven.

"Really now, love, what would you do without me? Another minute –" he fell silent when he saw the look on her face.

She marched right up to him and hissed, "What is this?" Thrusting the letter and picture under his nose.

His eyes widened in realization, "It's not what it looks like?"

"Where did you get this?"

"I found it."

"Yeah right! Did you steal this from him?"

"No, I promise. I found it at the hospital five years ago, someone had left it in a book."

"And you didn't think to return it or at least tell me about it. Or wait have you been watching me all this time? All this being nice and getting under my skin was this all some sick obsession with me?"

"No Caroline, I promise – "

"I can't! I really thought you were different. I can't even look at you," She said as the tears started falling down her cheeks again and she made her way to the door.

Nik ran after her saying, "Caroline, please don't leave. I didn't know who you were until you moved in. Everything was real!"

"I'm sorry I need to get out of here, this is just too much for me to deal with today," she commented as she walked out of his apartment and closed the door behind her.

When she got home, she returned to her bedroom and cried again, for her father who she would never see again, for the fact that she knew she could never trust Nik again and because she knew she would have to move on with her life without these two men.

After an hour had passed she heard a knock on a door, not bothering to ask who was on the other side, she opened up to see Tyler looking at her. He reached out and pulled her into his chest. "I'm so sorry, Care, I just heard about your dad. I'm sorry I didn't answer my phone. I should've known you needed me."

Not wanting to talk, Caroline let him console her as they made their way back into her apartment and sat down on the couch. Tyler smoothed her hair away from her face, not asking about the amount of flour on her clothes and said, "I was thinking on the way here, this puts everything into perspective. Especially since both our fathers have died, I think that we should set a date and get married sooner?"

Caroline thought of Nik and all the 'could have been's' before turning to Tyler and saying, "Yes, I agree."

* * *

**A/N: This chapter was difficult to write probably because I knew you would hate me after this and I wanted to live in the world of good reviews for just a little bit longer. But please review let me know what you think!**

**The next chapter will jump a bit into the future. Keep pestering me on Tumblr, Twitter, in the reviews etc. I'll try and answer most questions as well.**

**Oh and the chapter title comes from the Christina Perri song.**

**And Happy Valentine's Day/Klarontine's Day!**


	10. In Your Veins

**A/N: Once again, sorry for late update, I have a very busy life. I just got a new job that is taking over most of my time and energy. **

**This is the last chapter, whoah, already? Thanks for everyone who stuck with me through this, my first fanfic. Thanks to everyone who proofed for me, who reviewed, who followed, who favorited and who gave me some well-needed points on which to prove my writing. I love you all.**

**Also, a special thank you to Tanya aka angellus08 who was my Klaus consultant on this chapter. He is pretty difficult bloke to write sometimes.**

**Oh and please excuse spelling and grammatical errors; I was in a rush to get this out to you.**

**Chapter 10: In My Veins**

**_The wheels just keep on turning,_**

**_The drummers begin to drum,_**

**_I don't know which way I'm going,_**

**_I don't know what I've become._**

**_- Til Kingdom Come by Coldplay_**

**_3 months later_**

"So this wasn't the celebration I was expecting."

"I don't know why you were expecting anything, I didn't invite you here," Klaus said as he poured himself another glass of scotch, sat down on his sofa and turned on the television as if to avoid any further conversation.

Kol moved in front television, halting his distraction techniques, "Well when Hayley told me that you were promoted I thought I would come here and find you on top of the world, wasn't this what you always wanted?"

"Yes, well I'm not in the mood for celebrations, me and my scotch is all I need."

"As said by all alcoholics. No, I'm not going to let you go down this hole again, come on, let's go out. I'll show you how senior partners party."

"Kol, if you aren't out of my apartment in the next five minutes I will throw you out," Klaus said in a menacing tone.

Kol lifted up his hands in surrender, "Okay okay, I give up, I've invested far too many hours in trying to make you fun. What's eating you?"

Klaus just looked past him, resuming his staring contest with the wall whilst sipping his scotch.

"So it obviously can't be work, because you just got your dream promotion, and I know it isn't family stuff because I have just gotten off the phone with Elijah and Rebekah isn't pregnant and Father isn't being let out of prison anytime soon. So what is it? Is it a woman?" Kol's eyes widened in realization, "Is it Caroline?"

"Caroline isn't a part of my life anymore, she made damn well sure of that," Klaus replied in a deadpan tone as he poured himself another glass of alcohol.

Kol took a seat in the nearest armchair and turned towards his brother, "What happened, Nik? The last time I saw you, you guys were still on such good terms."

"We had a spat, a misunderstanding. Actually it was the day after your birthday, and she told me she wants nothing more to do with me. It happens to be her wedding this weekend, or so Elijah tells me, he is attending as Katherine's date."

"She is marrying that arse? No way Nik, we have to stop that wedding! You have to tell her that you love her and that you're the better choice for her," Kol urged him.

"She knows all that, she just doesn't care. Caroline was a just cruel wake-up call that I should stop hoping for more out of my life, it is just like Father said, no one will ever love me."

"Nik, you're talking crazy now. We love you, even though your impossible and slightly psychotic most of time, we love you. And Caroline wasn't the end for you, she is proof that you do have emotions, that you care, that you are able to love. Maybe she wasn't the person you will end up with, maybe she was helping to prepare you for the one who will truly be your everything."

Klaus shook his head, "No, I refuse to go through this again, I did not feel and did not love for a reason, Caroline is a mistake that I will not repeat."

Kol looked up at him and sighed, "At least tell me what happened between the two of you."

* * *

"You look beautiful!" Elena exclaimed as she surveyed her.

"Something doesn't feel right though, is it the neckline? Is it too low? Is the beading too much? Is my skirt too poufy? Oh gosh Damon is going to call me Bridal Barbie."

Elena took Caroline's hands in hers, looked in her eyes and said, "Caroline, relax, you look perfect. Take a deep breath, pre-wedding jitters are normal, at least that's what I learnt from every chick flick, well unless you start hyperventilating like Cristina in_ Grey's Anatomy _or say the wrong name like Ross in _Friends_. Actually maybe we should start practicing saying Tyler's name now, just as a precaution."

Caroline giggled softly, "I've been preparing to marry Tyler for four years, and I don't think I will mistake him for anyone else."

"Okay, if you're sure, don't blame me if you say Damon's name up there."

Caroline looked at her shocked, "No eew, anyone but Damon, it's more likely that Father Colin's name will come out of my father before I say Damon's name. That's three months I will never repeat."

Elena chuckled as she made her way around Caroline to help her out of her dress, "So it's the final fitting, but that doesn't mean that if at any point you change your mind about this whole wedding thing that it won't be okay," Elena glanced at her in the mirror.

Caroline sighed, "Elena, I know how you feel about Tyler but he is the decision I made, the life I chose, no take-backs now."

Elena was spared an answer by a swift knock on the door. "Coming!" Elena and Caroline called in unison. Elena hung the wedding dress up, as Caroline got dressed.

There was another knock at the door as a male voice called out, "Are you girls decent yet?"

Elena replied positively as a tall older man entered the room and Caroline ran towards him and embraced him, "Steven, you're back! How was Florida? You look so tanned! How are the ex-wife and Alice? Did you tell her I wanted her to come up for the wedding, super sad that's the same day as her prom?"

Steven offered her an easy smile, "Whoah, easy there, ball of dynamite. Florida was cathartic, it was good to see my family again, and they were strangely supportive. The ex-wife is still as much of a vindictive bitch as she was the last time I visited and Alice is perfect, just disappointed she won't be at your wedding. Did you know she's head cheerleader now? I swear you are her hero; she was talking about prom committee duties and how excited she is to go to Columbia next year. Soon she'll be building a monument in your name."

Caroline laughed, "Eighteen-year-olds always look up to the strangest people."

"I don't think it's that strange, you are one of the strongest, kindest, ambitious women she has ever come into contact with, I find it difficult to see anyone else I would rather want my daughter to look up to," he took Caroline's hand and squeezed it, "It's about time you realize what a remarkable woman you are."

Caroline blinked away tears as she reached over to give him another hug, 'Dad really hit the jackpot when he scored you."

"I'd like to think so! Although I know for a fact that I never knew true happiness until I met your father," he gave her a small smile. "And on that subject," he pulled a small white envelope out from inside his jacket pocket, "The day that Tyler proposed to you and you phoned your father all giddy with excitement, he sat down and wrote you a letter which he intended to give to you on your wedding day. And I know I am a couple of days early but I thought it would be better to give it to you now instead of making you all emotional on your big day." Steven rubbed her back reassuringly as she stared at the envelope that he had passed over to her, "I'll give you some time alone."

As Steven walked out of the room, Caroline carried on staring at the envelope in her hands, wondering if she should read it, wondering if she housed the emotional capacity to be able to read it, but she knew that her curiosity would get the better of her, so she slowly opened the envelope, her senses alert knowing that her father's hands had touched it, he had sealed it, the man that even three months later was still guiding her. She opened the single white page that was enclosed in the envelope and her breath hitched in her throat when she saw her father's all too familiar handwriting:

_My darling Caroline,_

_I have just come off the phone with you and I am sitting here with a smile on my face, you sounded so excited for the rest of your life and that's all a father could hope for – that his daughter is truly happy. Although I do believe that you far too young to get married, I trust you to make the right decisions in your life._

_I married your mother young, and while she is still one of the most beautiful and kind-hearted women I have come across, I should have waited a little longer, took time to discover myself and stop lying to myself a little sooner and then maybe I would have prevented a lot of heartache (although then I wouldn't have you). But even though you don't share with me the details of your relationship with Tyler (who would share such details with their father?) I pray with everything inside of me that he is to you what Steven is to me. That you experience a love that will rival those that they write books on, that everyday might be better than the last, that you might feel utterly and truly adored. You deserve no less._

_I remember when you were five years old and I asked you what you wanted to be when you grew up and you said "A Queen because a princess can't really do anything" and from then on I knew you were destined for great things. In my eyes you will always be a queen, and the man you marry should think the same of you. He should understand your value, your strength and all that you are capable of, he should put you first but most of all he should respect you, your dreams, your ambitions, your time. And before you say that such a man is impossible or that it only exists in fairy tales, I have lived it, I have seen it, and I know that you will too._

_So on this your wedding day, which I have no doubt you will look beautiful on, I remember a letter you wrote to me a couple of years ago, which I am ashamed to say I lost at the hospital when I went to visit Steven, you said "Some things happen in life which we have no control over whatsoever" and I want you to remember this as you enter into your marriage. You were always so certain that you wanted a perfect life, the successful husband, good career, 2.5 children (which could have been because you of your dysfunctional family life) but you have to remember that when things don't go according to your plan, there might be better one in process._

_I love you always and can't wait to walk you down the aisle and to have that father/daughter dance. There is no way I could be any more proud of you._

_Love,_

_Dad_

She sobbed as the letter fell to the floor, it was like a crude reminder that her father won't be with her that Saturday, he won't walk down the aisle, they won't have that father/daughter dance, and he won't be there to share what is supposed to be the happiest day of her life. The rest of her life. She had been so focused on her life without her father that she hadn't spared a moment to think about how her married life would be with Tyler. Since their engagement she always felt that their marriage would be some time way in the future, when he's a successful lawyer or member of congress and she's a hot-shot editor and they had their lives sorted out. She wondered if she would have to sit alone at home while he spent endless nights studying, or if he would still refuse to go with her to her friend's events, or if he would continue to ignore her or lose his temper if she says something he doesn't like or if she annoys him.

She had lived so long with an unhappy family where her parents constantly fought and secrets were kept that she never thought to hope for anything better that maybe being okay is not enough, that she should have wished to be ecstatic instead of happy. Her father's letter told her a new story; he had experienced that epic proportions of love, he had known a love that wasn't just safe and complacent but a love that pushed boundaries, a love that made him leave everything he knew and believed to be right, a love that made him not care what other people thought and follow his heart. When she thought back to the time she had spent with her father and Steven, she remembered how even when he was angry with Steven, he had a look of utter adoration in his eyes, like no matter what happened, what he felt for Steven would never change. She had never seen Tyler look at her like that, in all the four years they had been together. She knew he cared about her, that he lusted for her and that he knew she would make a dutiful wife, but is that enough? Caught she live the rest of her life without knowing the magic of a love that Steven and her father shared, and what happens if one day Tyler meets someone who he feels that kind love for? Would she be the shamed good wife? The Jackie Kennedy? The Hilary Clinton?

She thought of how Nik looked at her, like she was most precious artifact that he had ever come across, like everything she does mystifies and enthralls him. She had tried not to think about him over the past three months, but it proved near impossible. The blue of the chairs in her office reminded her of his eyes that would twinkle mischievously whenever he was teasing her, the dark pink tablecloth that covered the coffee table in her living room, reminded her of his lips when he kissed her, the butterflies in her stomach, doing somersaults at the memory of that kiss that made every other kiss that preceded it seem like slobbering child's play. She wondered if she had overreacted to finding the letter and the picture, but finding something of her father's so soon after his death coupled with the fact that he had kept the fact that he had personal items of hers to himself had just made everything worse.

She wondered what it would be like if she had met Nik under different circumstances, if Tyler wasn't in the equation, her father hadn't just died and it didn't matter what he knew about her. She wondered if they could have experienced that epic love her father spoke about, the chemistry between them was deniable and he was the one man who truly made her feel like a queen. But alas, things were not different and she had made her bed, it would take a lot for her to go back on her promise to Tyler.

* * *

It was a couple of hours later when her dress was put away, her tears were all dried up and Elena and Steven had long since left when she heard another knock at her front door. "Popular today," she murmured to herself.

She set her glass of wine on the counter and made her way to her door, hoping that whatever was waiting for her on the other side was a lot more pleasant than her previous encounter. She opened her door to find a smirking face staring back at her.

"Good evening Caroline, how are you doing?" Kol greeted her as he casually leant against the doorframe.

"Kol! What a surprise! What are you doing here?" She said to him amicably.

"Well I was in town and I thought I would see how my favorite party organizer was doing. Can I come in?"

Caroline moved aside to allow him to enter her apartment, "Sure! Would you like a glass of wine or something?"

"No I'm fine, I had more than my fair share last night," he waved his hand dismissively, "So I hear you're getting married this weekend?"

Caroline gave a polite smile as she took another sip of her wine, "Yes, you remember Tyler?"

"Remember him? How can I forget him? He was an arse of note, no offence to you of course. But you must understand that I'm Team Nik and Caroline and it doesn't make the matter easier that your fiancé and I had a bit of a tussle the night of my birthday. He didn't do much to make a good impression."

Caroline sighed, "So I assume Nik told you about our disagreement?"

"Tell me? A blind person could see how distraught he looks. You must understand Caroline that everything just caught off guard. Yes, he had your picture and your letter but to him, it was random possessions of random people who he did not know but something in your letter spoke to him during the mourning he was going through. When he found the letter, he was at the hospital when my brother Henrik passed on. He was anxious, vulnerable and lonely; the letter is what got him through the next few months when he pushed all the people that cared about him out of his life. That's his go to reactions, anger and isolation and somehow a girl he didn't know from a faraway town was able to get through to him and help him when his own family couldn't. I believe he didn't tell you about the letter and the picture because partly he was scared of losing the support that it had built up in his mind and I think the entire friendship happened so fast that he did not find an apt opportunity to tell you about it. Imagine telling someone after knowing him or her for months that you've been keeping a five-year-old picture and letter of theirs in your bedroom drawer and you look at it often. How creepy doesn't that sound?"

"It sounds creepy either way," Caroline responded, "Look, I know I overreacted, I was very emotional when I found the letter and picture, it was the same day that my dad died but maybe it was a good thing that Nik and I ended our friendship. We were growing much too close, I was beginning to depend on him in a way that no one should expect from a guy friend and I didn't want to lead him on as well."

"Caroline, you cannot expect me to believe that everything between the two of you was one-sided? That you only felt friendship for him."

She shook her head, "Kol, you are bringing up things that should not be spoken about."

"Why? Because you're engaged? Because your wedding is this weekend? I think it's the perfect time to discuss this. Let's get it all out in the open, before the nuptials take place. I know you have been stewing over it in your head."

"Kol, I can't. It's too late, too much has happened. Nik and I are not some couple in a Hollywood movie, in real life you have expectations, and you honor your decisions and keep promises. Maybe in another world in another time we could have been together but I guess we'll never know."

"I refuse to believe that. You like him, I could see it that morning in his apartment, at my birthday party, you seem to radiate when he's around. Call me a romantic or say that I watch too many chick flicks but I'm still holding out hope."

"You watch chick flicks?" Caroline smiled teasingly in an effort to change the subject.

"Well you know women love men who can sit through a Julia Roberts or Kate Hudson film, it makes them all too eager to repay the favor later," he lifted up his eyebrows suggestively.

* * *

Her mother had the quirky habit of believing in silly superstitions. She always made sure that she opened umbrellas outside of the house, she would walk around ladders instead of going under, but the one she kept repeating was "bad things come in threes" and Caroline should have recalled that when Elena, Katherine and Bonnie appeared at her front door the next morning.

"What the hell, why are you guys here so early? You do know the bridesmaids' dress fitting is only at 2pm," she said as they made their way into her living room.

"Well, we wanted to have a chat, just us girls," Elena explained.

"And we couldn't chat at 2pm, at the fitting? Not at 8am when I have the day off!" Caroline retorted.

Bonnie gave her a small smile and said, "Let's just say there's a lot we wanted to talk about. But look, we come bearing gifts – coffee and bagels!"

"That does make things slightly better," she said as she grabbed a coffee from Bonnie's hands, "Now what did you want to chat about, we are not changing the dress color again, to go with any new tint of Kat's hair."

"It's not about that," Elena said soothingly, "Let's all have a seat." The four of them moved to sit down on Caroline's sofa and armchairs while Caroline continued to look at them suspiciously.

"So Caroline, how's the wedding plans going?" Bonnie asked her.

"Well," Caroline replied, "Just as well as it was when I spoke to you last night. Guys, what's going on?"

"Katherine, I think you should tell her," Elena said looking at her cousin.

Caroline turned to her best friend who had been silent throughout the entire exchange, "Katherine?"

"Well you know I'm kind of dating Elijah Mikaelson," Katherine started explaining.

"Yes, he flew here from London to be your plus one at my wedding; I would call that a bit more than 'kind of'."

"So last night, we went out with Elena and Stefan, and Bonnie and Jeremy, we didn't invite you because we knew you were busy with wedding prep, as you told Bonnie on the phone. We went to that bar around the corner from Columbia Law School, _Articles _or something because Elijah's sister had read in some travel blog that it has some of the best, undiscovered drinks in New York…"

"Okay, get to the point!"

"We saw Tyler there!" Katherine burst out, "Hooking up with some girl in a corner booth like it was all fine. We confronted him, I gave him a bitch slap because he deserved it, Bonnie gave him a piece of her mind and he just laughed it off, like he didn't care. He left after that and when we returned to the booth, Elijah admitted that both Klaus and Kol had confronted Tyler previously as well about the fact that he was cheating on you and that's why the two of them fought with him at Kol's party. We know you're all about honoring your promises and doing what is expected of you, but you deserve way more than the off-cuts that that scumball is giving you."

"Caroline, I have been saying this for years," Elena said to her, "Tyler does not appreciate how lucky he is to have you in his life. You should not have to spend the rest of your life married to someone who does not respect you, your boundaries and your wishes."

Caroline rested her face in her hands before standing up and walking to the small window on the opposite side of room. She seemed to be considering something before saying, "Thank you for telling me, I really appreciate that you cared about me enough to let me know," she paused sounding calm and robotic, "I think I just need a minute alone to think things over, I will speak to you later." She offered them a polite smile as they got up and left her apartment quietly. She closed the door behind them and sunk back against the door, sobbing into her hands.

* * *

"WAKE UP!" She banged on his door. "Goddammit, it's 11am already!" She moved to bang her fists on the door again when it swung open and he stood on the other side facing her.

"What the hell, Care? Coming here, screaming like a banshee. I don't even want to think what the neigh-" He didn't get to finish his sentence as her fist which was so eager to make contact with his mahogany door, opted to familiarize itself with his face instead. "That is for wasting four years of my life, arsehole!"

"What is going on with you?"

"Don't act dumb with me!" she shrieked at him, "I know that the only studying you were doing last night, was the anatomy of some whore. Is she still here? I wouldn't be surprised, you never had much class." She pushed past him into his apartment.

"What do you know about class?" he spat back at her, "You come from some backward mid-West town with a townie mom and a fag dad, you were nothing until I gave you the time of day."

She launched herself at him again, making sure to hit him square in the nose, "Don't," she narrowed her eyes at him, "you ever speak about my parents like that again! You aren't fit to wipe the dust off their shoes."

He gave her a lewd smile, "I love how tough you pretend to be. We all know you'll be crawling back to me tomorrow, begging you to take me back. You're pathetic; you're just acting like this because it's what your friends expect. You know in your heart, that you will never get better than me."

"Fuck you, Tyler, I don't need you, or your hypocritical family, your mediocre sex, or your delusions of grandeur; I am strong, I'm intelligent, I'm hot and I know what I want from my life and that no longer includes you," she walked to the door but not before turning around, taking one last glance at Tyler's face, his mouth gaping open and saying, "Oh, and I'll send Stefan over to come fetch all my stuff." She gave him a non-committal wave and made her way out of his apartment for the last time.

* * *

"You have no idea how scared I was to tell you," Katherine said as she dug in the bowl for more popcorn.

"I can imagine," Caroline nodded, "It is literally one of the most difficult things you could ever tell someone, but at least you told me before I made a grave mistake."

It had been over a week since she had broken things off with Tyler. In the first couple of days after the breakup she proceeded to put her professional hat on and do everything that was required of here to make sure the wedding was cancelled, everything was returned and that everyone was alerted (not without a few old aunts commenting, "What happened? He was such a nice boy"). In the days following she fell into a simple routine of crying, pigging out, sleeping and crying some more. On the third day of her sadness slump she was joined by Katherine, who was feeling downcast as well at Elijah's return to London.

"Life is so unfair," Katherine whined, "I finally found a guy that want to keep around and he lives all the way on the other side of the world."

"And he won't move here?" Caroline inquired.

Katherine sighed deeply, "No. he has a whole life there. He has a good job and his mother and sister depend on him. I can't ask that of him."

"And you won't move to London?"

"Even if I wanted to I couldn't. My salary barely covers my rent and then there are my student loans and credit card bills. There is no way in hell, I could afford a move to another country. I just feel that with long-distance, the relationship is ultimately doomed."

"That's not true," Caroline said kindly, "This one friend of my mother's, her and her husband worked in different countries for three years and they made it work."

"Exception, Caroline, you're focusing on the exception not the rule. The rule is that with most men it is out of sight out of mind and whatever eager girl in a short skirt takes your place. I'm not naïve enough to think that Elijah won't get bored after a while but if long-distance is all I can get, long-distance is what I'll take. I would rather be in a limited relationship with Elijah than none at all."

Caroline looked at her friend, the wild, carefree girl that she thought she knew so well. The same Katherine who made a goal to hook up with a guy from each one of the continents of the world before she was thirty, the same Katherine who claimed that love and relationships were for losers and old people. This Katherine was staying true to a man a million miles away, a man who she wasn't sure would be faithful to her when the fiancé of her best friend was cheating on her for many years right under a very nose, and Caroline understood. Katherine was experiencing that spark, that warming notion of love that her father had told her about, it made Katherine alter her way of thinking, her way of living, for an unsure future with someone she only knows for three months.

"You like him that much, hey?" Caroline asked teasingly.

Katherine sighed again and said, "He's perfect. Not like perfect perfect, he hates it when his suit is untidy or if we don't get good service at a restaurant and don't you dare insult his hair, but he's perfect for me." She shrugged and gave Caroline a sheepish smile. "You know I was wary about this whole thing because we only know each other for a couple of months but I guess the movies are right, when you know, you know."

Caroline smiled at her, "You have no idea how happy I am for you. Elijah is a good guy."

"And now we have to help you get your man."

Caroline chuckled, "I just got out of a four-year relationship, I think it will be a while before I find another available man."

"Oh please," Katherine smiled at her knowingly, "How stupid do you think I am? Do you think I don't know there has been one man that's been on your mind this entire time? A man that you definitely have a shot with, who particularly thinks you're made out of diamonds."

Caroline narrowed her eyes at her, "I have no idea, who you're talking about?"

"Really, Caroline, no one with a name that starts with a 'K' and ends with a 'laus' sound familiar?"

"Whatever Katherine, you have no idea what you're talking about. Nik and I barely even talk anymore."

"Oh but you want to talk to him," She scratched her head dramatically as if she was thinking, "You would like to do a lot more than talk to him, you want to kiss him, to feel his body against yours, to run your hand up his thigh and grab his d-"

"Katherine!" Caroline screamed as her eyes grew wide and she launched herself at Katherine in an effort to shut her up.

* * *

She waited for Katherine to leave before she did what she had been planning on doing the entire week. She was nervous, that much was obvious, as she kept straightening her dress. She wanted to look good for so many reasons but in that moment she was certain that the better she looked, the more confident she would feel about this daunting task.

She curled her hand into a fist as she made to knock lightly on the door in front of her. She knew he was at home, she had spotted him making his way into their apartment building earlier when she was standing by her window, staring at the street below, waiting for him to come home (the word 'stalker' had entered her mind once or twice). She heard the shuffling of his feet as she embraced herself for the inevitable, there was no turning back now, she had made her decision.

"Well, well, well this is a surprise!" He looked different, his eyes were bloodshot, he looked slightly unkempt and the stench of alcohol was evident. He moved aside for her to enter his apartment, "So do you need some eggs again? Or are you here to get an ego boost? I heard about the cancellation of your wedding, I offer my condolences."

"Uh, thank you?" She replied timidly, "I was wondering if we could chat? About how things ended between us?"

"What's there to chat about? I told how you how I felt, we kissed, you gave me hope, you called me a creep and than said you never wanted to see me again. I think that's pretty self-explanatory."

"Look Nik, I know you're mad but –"

"No, you know nothing about me! You pretend that everything that happened between us was all one-sided, that was all me falling for a woman that will never be mine, but I know the truth, you felt something as well, I could see it your eyes, I could see it every time you smiled at me. But you just didn't want to be with me." He stared at her, his eyes daring her to deny what he said.

"No," she whispered.

"Don't bother trying to make to make excuses, I've come to peace with it," he said simply as he sat down on his sofa again and poured himself a glass of scotch, "I've come to peace with the fact that all I ever was to you was someone who made you feel good about yourself while your fiancé was finding pleasure with every little Trollope he came across. But I was considering the fact that perhaps my interest in you was due to the fact that you were unavailable, a quest for the impossible, you may say; because now that I know you are no longer spoken for, I seemed to have lost interest. I feel nothing for you."

"Is that true?" The tears started pouring out of Caroline's eyes.

Klaus seemed to falter a bit, but he pressed on, "I wouldn't be saying it if it wasn't true."

"I understand," she nodded curtly, "Then I guess everyone had it wrong all along. I was the one who fell for you, I was the one who believed the world of you, spent every waking moment thinking of you," she shrugged her shoulders, "But I guess now I know. I've learnt my lesson. I always let love get the better of me and then I end up hurt."

"Well, as I always say, love is a weakness," Klaus said to her as he lifted up his glass as if to say 'cheers'.

Caroline started to walk towards the door before pausing and turning around again, "I just have one last question, why didn't you tell me about Tyler cheating or about the fights you had with him?"

Klaus looked up at her, mentally debating with himself about whether he should tell her the truth before deciding to answer honestly, "I didn't want to be the one to break your heart."

She nodded before saying, "Well then it's ironic, that even after so many years with him, it's the pain from your rejection that shattered my heart," and she made her way out of his apartment for the last time.

* * *

She pulled the covers around herself as she settled in her bed, 9pm was far too early for Katherine Pierce to go to bed. But she had agreed to chat to Elijah, the following morning at 5am, which was 8am in London, before he left for work and she simply could not function without at least eight hours of sleep. As she made herself comfortable in her bed, she heard the _Sex and the City _theme song playing and she groaned outwardly. She holstered herself up and grabbed her phone from her bedside table.

"Who is this and what do you want?" She had no time for niceties when she was trying to fall asleep.

"Kat, it's me, there's something I need to tell you," Caroline's voice sounded eager as she continued, "My dad left me some money in his will, like a lot of money, enough money to…I don't know buy a car…or for the two of us to move to London."

"What, no! I won't let you do that!"

"Yes, you can because it's not just for you, it's for me too. His message in his will was 'Use it well', I think it was a nod to Dumbledore and he was trying to be funny, but this money is our invisibility cloak. I need to get away from New York and all the memories and you need to go get your man. I can't think of a better way to use the money. So are you in?"

Katherine fought to keep the smile off her face, "I'm in."

"Well then get off the phone and start packing!"

**A/N: So that's it! Just kidding, expect the epilogue soon. Also please review, I need the encouragement to do the last last part of this. And follow me on Tumblr at klaussnowflake, chat to me, I don't have many friends. **


	11. Epilogue

**_A/N: I know some of you have already read this but seeing as wasn't alerting people, I thought I would repost this so you could all enjoy. _**

**_Yes I know, it's been terribly long, I apologize yet again. I suppose most of you are like me and don't like long author notes so I'll make this short._**

**_This epilogue is dedicated to all of you that actually read this story. This was my first foray into writing fanfiction and I didn't really think anyone would be interested in reading this but you guys have overwhelmed me with your kind words. So thank you for encouraging me and for liking this story, no matter how low key it is._**

**_When I started writing this story, I had never really experienced death in the personal way that it affected Klaus and Caroline in the story and about two months ago, I lost someone very close to me, I experienced the long wait in the hospital room that Klaus endured and the scary call that you have to rush to the hospital that Caroline experienced, which makes this story all the more special to me now._**

**_I hope you guys, enjoy the epilogue, I think Klaus and Caroline deserve it. See you at the bottom :)_**

* * *

**Chapter 11: Epilogue**

**_For you, I'd wait 'til kingdom come.  
Until my day, my day is done.  
And say you'll come, and set me free,  
Just say you'll wait, you'll wait for me._**

**_- _****Til Kingdom Come - Coldplay**

**_3 years later_**

"How many times do you want me to say you look hot before you believe me?" Katherine asked as she lay on top of Caroline's bed, paging through a glossy magazine.

"Yes, but how hot? Princess Grace of Monaco hot or Ke$ha hot?"

"Does anyone actually find Ke$ha hot? She just seems like giant pile of dirt to me."

"Answer the question, Kat!" Caroline insisted as she turned around to face her friend.

Katherine sighed and responded, "Caroline Forbes, you look hotter than Grace Kelly, Ava Gardner and Elizabeth Taylor. Happy?" She turned back to her magazine.

"Yes," Caroline said as she smoothed out the vintage cream evening dress she was wearing, "So what are you doing tonight?"

"Dinner with Elijah, I think tonight might just be the big night, when he finally pops the question."

"Or so you've been saying for the past three months…"

Katherine raised her eyebrow, "Is it wrong for me to hope? We've been together for over three years, we love each other, we want to get married."

"No it isn't. Elijah adores you, I'm sure he is just waiting for the perfect moment. Don't mind me, I'm just jealous that you have an awesome boyfriend and I take an extra hour to get done for work events in case I meet my future husband."

"But at the rate you're going, Prince Harry will fall for you!" Katherine teased.

"Have you been reading my diary again?" Caroline narrowed her eyes.

They laughed as Katherine got up to close the clasp of Caroline's necklace for her. "So what is this event that you are going to tonight?" Katherine asked.

"Some society woman had a new home built that is supposed to look just like the 19th century manor her family used to own or something and she's having a party to celebrate the completion and it is quintessential that _Hello _magazine has the pictures of who is at the event for the society pages."

"Well good luck, hopefully you'll finally run into your prince tonight."

"Josh, I'm going to greet Lady Charles-Smythe and introduce us and then she'll tell us who we should focus on," Caroline instructed the photographer who worked with her.

After two years of working as an Editorial Assistant at _Hello _magazine, she finally earned the coveted spot as Society Editor, even though she was gunning for the Features Editor position, she knew she just had to bide her time. Being Society Editor, meant that she had to attend many snooty parties and events by the English elite and she had to learn that a woman can invite over one-hundred guests to an event but only ten of those are to appear in the photographs and article of the event. She approached the woman with the floor-length navy dress and ash blonde hair that was pulled back almost far as the skin on her face was. The stern outlook causing Caroline to backtrack a bit before she put on her brightest, bravest smile and approached the daunting woman in front of her.

"Good evening, Lady Charles-Smythe, my name is Caroline Forbes, I am the _Hello _reporter that is covering your event, and this is my photographer, Josh. Is there an anything in particular you would like us focus on."

Lady Charles-Smythe looked her up and down before responding, "An American writing for the society pages, that's like getting a flamingo to review different types of dog food. _Hello _sure has lowered their standards from when I was young."

Caroline took a deep breath but refrained from making a comment when Lady Charles-Smythe continued, "So please steer clear from the soap actors, they love the camera and the chance to be photographed at any place that uses napkins instead of serviettes so they will gravitate towards you but any footage taken of them should not be used in your article, also with regards to footballers and their wives, please focus more on the classy ones, the Victoria Beckham kind, not the pre-marriage Colleen Rooney ones. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will not be attending as we are awaiting the arrival of our little royal baby but there's a chance Prince Harry might come and in that case, please make sure you get a picture of him, I don't care if you have to steamroll the entire cast of _Eastenders _to get it. Now for my portrait, you should probably photograph me with the people who made this all possible, the magnificent architects."

Lady Charles-Smythe lead Caroline and Josh to a blonde couple standing close to a very obscure painting of a cat and a dog both chasing its' tails. Caroline could see the side profile of the woman, her blonde hair similar in color to Caroline's, she was extremely pretty, and the deep red of her dress made her look confident and elegant.

"Sorry to disturb you, Alexandra and Niklaus, I want to introduce you to Caroline and Joshua from _Hello _magazine."

Time seemed to stand still as she saw Klaus, almost expecting it to be a figment of her imagination. They had not seen each other since that fated night three years ago, and while she was aware that through Katherine and Elijah's relationship he had to have known that she moved to London, Katherine had provided her with no details as to his whereabouts or what he has been up to over the past three years, Klaus was a no-go subject. It was not as if she was still angry and ashamed at what had transpired between them, yes she fell in love, yes he stamped on her heart but the wisdom of the years had made her realize that she was better because of that experience. She never believed that she was strong enough to walk away from a mediocre life, that she deserved more than Tyler and the life that came with him, but Klaus taught her to dream again, encouraged her to believe in herself and for that she would grateful for the role he played in her life no matter how messy it ended up being. Sometimes when she laid awake at nights, she would imagine how different her life would have been if she had married Tyler, how she would have played the dutiful wife, following direction from Carol Lockwood and Tyler's other advisors, how long it would have been until a noisy journalist unearthed Tyler's indiscretions and she would have been shamed, the woman who couldn't satisfy her own husband and she shuddered; all the dates that she gone on since moving to London had been dead ends, no one she cared to follow up on, and she might have not have her dream job yet but she was happy, independent and for the first time was able to relish being single, and that was all she needed.

Klaus stared dumbstruck at her, his mouth agape, and Caroline took the opportunity to break the ice, "Klaus, it's been a while."

"You two know each other?" Lady Charles-Smythe interrupted, obviously surprised that her fancy architect knew the common American journalist.

Klaus seemed to find his voice but his gaze remained transfixed on Caroline's face, "Yes, Caroline and I were neighbors when I worked in the New York office."

The blonde woman, Alexandra turned to Caroline, "Oh my, you're that Caroline! It's so great to finally meet you; I'm Lexie, Klaus' colleague. I've heard so much about you."

Caroline felt flutters in her stomach; Klaus had been talking about her enough that one of his colleagues recognized her name, three years later.

"It's good to meet you too," Caroline smiled politely, "So Josh needs to take a picture of you guys so if you could please stand over there and give your best smiles." Caroline went into full work mode, ignoring the gnawing feeling that came with her reunion with Klaus, and the fact that the sight of him still put her on edge, engulfed her body with desire, but it was not enough to forget the way he spoke to her, how he pushed her aside, and she supposed that a part of her would always be affected by him, but she was wiser now, and she wouldn't subject herself to be made a fool of by another man.

When the night was over, and she had enough positive quotes about Lady Charles-Smythe bore of a party and Josh's camera was filled with more pictures of attention-seeking nobility than orange-tinted soap stars, she collected her coat (not without getting some juicy inside information from the coat check girl) and made her way home.

One of the perks of working for _Hello _magazine was that they transported their staff in town cars, which meant that she did not need to brave public transport late at night. Her town car pulled up just as she walked out of the building and she heard the familiar voice, the one that had been haunting her dreams for the past three years, call out her name.

She sighed, addressing him without turning around, "Klaus, I don't really have time for a catch-up, the driver is waiting to take me home."

"Caroline, I really need to talk to you, I will take you home," the desperation in his tone evident, almost as if he was scared that if she left now he would never see her again.

Caroline turned around slowly, "Klaus, I think we said everything we needed to say that night when we parted ways and I don't think I have the emotional capacity to delve back into those long buried feelings." Klaus was leaning against the wall of the building, a sense of coolness and authority alluding off him. He pushed back against the wall and started to walk towards her, her heart beating faster with every step that he took.

"Caroline, look, I know we ended things badly, but I would just like this one chance to explain. Please, Caroline?" He looked at her with a look that could only be described as similar to a puppy begging its' owner for another dog biscuit.

"Oh okay, alright," She threw her hands up in defeat, "She opened the back door of the town car and said, "Brady, I won't be coming with you guys tonight, I'll be getting a lift home with an old friend. Have a great evening!"

She turned around to face a triumphant Klaus as the town car drove away, a frown etched on her face, "This better be worth losing the double chocolate chip cookies that Brady always leaves in the back seat for me."

"Care to go for a walk? I know a great pub that is not so far away, and it's a great place for us to chat before I take you home."

"Going to a public area? Are you scared I'm going to use what I learnt in the mixed martial arts class I went to to beat you down after how you treated me?"

"That would be well-deserved, but that's what we need to talk about."

"Well then by all means, lead the way to this pub."

They walked to the pub in silence – Caroline not uttering a word out of spite, and Klaus too sheepish to say anything, he simply just turned to look at her every few minutes, just to make sure she was still there, that she wasn't a figment of his imagination, an extension of a dream.

They reached the pub in no time, the homely looking décor which Caroline had become accustomed to over the past few years that she had been going out in London, gave the place a sense of warmth and comfort which one does not usually find when entering a place one has never been before. They sat down in the nearest open booth, and as Klaus went to order them drinks Caroline stared at him, unable to fathom the fact that she was with him, again, after all the years, that the fates had aligned for them to meet again.

"Here we go, for the lady," he announced as he handed her the drink.

"Thanks," she murmured and another wave of awkward silence hit them as they sipped their drinks.

"So when did you move from New York?" She asked him.

"About two months ago, my firm offered me the position of heading up the London branch of our company, and because it is my original home and it enables me to be closer to my family, I jumped at the opportunity. Have you been back since?"

"Yes, I went back last year for Stefan and Elena's wedding, do you remember them? Elena was the one who worked in promotions, Stefan was the doctor?"

"Yes yes of course."

"Well, they tied the knot and I went to go see my mother. But otherwise Kat and I are more than settled here."

"I heard her and my brother are still going strong."

"Yes, she talks about Elijah all the time! I have never seen her this in love," Caroline smiled softly; unable to mask the happiness she felt at the change that Katherine had untaken in the few short years.

"Well I assume a wedding might be on the cards for those two as well, I heard a rumor that Elijah asked my mother for our grandmother's engagement ring. But you did not hear it from me," Klaus said teasingly.

"I hope that's true, I don't have much faith in your sources…"

"Says the woman who works at _Hello _magazine," he said with a smirk.

"You can say what you want about _Hello _but all you fancy Brits are regular subscribers, you long to see what is written about you or your neighbors."

"I have to admit, in her heyday my mother used to ravage that rag looking for the latest gossip."

"You see we do have some purpose," she said with a smile as she took another sip of her drink, "So, Kol's business seems to be thriving, he friended me on Facebook, I get all the latest updates."

"Yes, he's expanding, created so many different types of apps now. Who knew my party animal brother would eventually become a multi-millionaire entrepreneur?"

"I guess that's why you shouldn't underestimate people."

He stared at her intently before saying, "You know, I always admired that about you, that you always looked for the good in people. You didn't take things simply at face value."

She smiled lightly at him before taking another sip of her drink. He cleared his throat to break the awkward moment that he created and asked her, "So what have you been up to since leaving New York?"

"So are you telling me you haven't been stalking me through Kol's Facebook?" She teased, "Well, luckily my pointless job picking out different lipsticks actually gave me a good enough reference to get a junior position at _Hello _and I eventually worked my way up to Society Editor, the first American to hold the title. I've been living with Katherine since moving to London, even though she spends most nights with Elijah so you could say I live alone. I was considering getting a cat but I wouldn't fancy cleaning up all the fur, um, I know too much about my neighbor's affair with her gardener and have watched all the series of _Downton Abbey _so many times that I have begun to speak along with the characters. And you?"

"I was made senior partner about the time that you left, but it was getting lonely in New York and I figured I needed to start spending more time with my family so when the head of the London branch retired, I was offered his job and here I am, youngest head in the history of _Saltzman and Associates. _I am currently living in my family home with Elijah, Rebekah and our mother, so I guess I've totally come full circle."

"Full circle, but tons more successful. I thought you would be married with a couple of kids already?" she fished.

"Nah, not nearly enough time for that. There hasn't really been anyone special in my life since…" He started before glancing down.

"Since?" She pressed him.

He looked up at her again. "Since you," he said simply.

"But nothing really happened with us, remember, you lost interest," she replied to him, not allowing her face to show her surprise at his words.

"Oh Caroline, I was so indisposed when I saw you, I didn't mean anything that I said to you that night, I just wanted to hurt you as you hurt me. I tend to lash out in anger when I am upset, an ugly family trait, and the thought of you not being in my life scared me so much and caused me to make so very stupid decisions which still resulted our estrangement."

"What are you saying?" She asked, confused to what he was implying.

"I'm saying, that I never moved on from what happened between us, what I felt, every moment I spent with you, everything else in my life pales in comparison to those few stolen times with you. The truth is I tried to stop thinking about you, but I can't. Nothing, not even my work, family, alcohol can be distract me from thoughts of you." He looked at with that same intense and tender look that she had been yearning for since the last time she saw him.

"Klaus –"

He put his hand on top of hers on the table, "Don't say anything yet, just hear me out. I apologize profusely for what I did and said to you, I'm sorry for hurting you, which was the one thing I told myself that I would never do, no matter how bad I might be for you. I never sought you out because I believed you were better off without me, the way that you cried the last time we saw each other is still fresh in my mind as if reminding me how destructive I can be to others around me. But when I saw you at the party tonight, I couldn't stay away, I needed to talk to you, to feel your skin against mine again, to be able to gaze upon your face, if only for an hour."

Caroline was taken aback by his honesty. He didn't give her a chance to interrupt before he carried on speaking, "Everyone said it was idiotic of me to still be hung up on a woman who was never mine but it was like I always had this strange hope that one day we would have our chance, that our time would come, even if I would have to wait another fifty years."

"Klaus –," she breathed out, unable to believe the words that were coming out of his mouth. His eyes watching her as she stood up, doubt and fear once more encompassing him. She climbed out of the booth and stood in front of it. "Klaus, can you come out here?"

He looked at her nervously, "Would you like me to take you home now? I sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

"Stop talking, gosh, I need you to come out because this dress is too stiff for me to bend in it properly," she exclaimed.

Confused by her words, he slowly scooted out of the booth, looking quizzically at her. When he was alongside her, she turned towards him, put her hand against the collar of his shirt, lightly held on to it before pulling him close and placing her lips upon his. Just like the first time they kissed (which felt like eras ago) the electricity between them was immediately evident, and the small peck that Caroline started soon escalated to something hotter, more urgent, more desperate when Klaus who was first shocked at her actions rose to the occasion as his tongue moved between her lips and he began to explore what he had been dreaming of since that night in New York.

The kiss turned from exploratory to passionate in matter of minutes, a feat that could only be achieved by a couple that had been starved from being with the one they truly wanted to be with. The heat radiated off their bodies as they moved closer together, itching to feel more of each other, to fill up the gap that the three years had created. Knowing that if she did not stop now, they would be having a rather nasty encounter with the patrons of the pub, Caroline pulled back from Klaus, and said, "Seeing that this is venturing away from PG-territory, you should probably take me home now." She smiled at him sweetly as his mind seemed to register his surroundings. "Yes sure," he mumbled as he grabbed his car keys and walked towards the exit, so engrossed in what had just happened. Caroline giggled to herself, amused at how much a kiss could topple this self-confident man.

His car wasn't parked far from the pub and as they walked in silence, she caught him staring at her a number of times almost as if he was trying to decode her, to understand her.

As she climbed into the passenger seat of his car, she broke the silence by telling him her address before saying, "Sooo do you want to take about what just happened?"

"I think I want to revel in it a little longer before you tell me that it was your way of saying goodbye, or giving me closure, or getting me to shut up."

"Well, I won't say that, because it's not true, except maybe the shut up part," she smiled at him, "You were so intent on telling me how you felt, that you didn't give me a chance to reciprocate so I had to take drastic measures."

He took his eyes off the road for a moment to look at her, to see if there was truth in what she was saying.

"I kissed you, because that was what I wanted to do. Since we have last seen each other, I hated you, I was angry with you, but I couldn't stop thinking about how special it felt when we kissed, how connected and right it felt and when I saw you tonight, I didn't feel anger or hatred, I felt the need to be connected to you again. I'm not the same girl who left New York, broken, dependent on a man who didn't deserve my loyalty and affection, I am liberated now, I make my own decisions and in that moment I knew what you were speaking about was true. We were meant to reunite at that event, because we were fated to meet again – not at a premeditated place like Elijah and Katherine's wedding one day - but at some place random, arbitrary like finding a girl's picture in an abandoned book in a hospital, or in an apartment across the hall, random meet ups are just our thing and tonight confirmed that that night in your apartment was not the end for us, it was just the end of that chapter."

Klaus' hands tightened around the steering wheel of his car, overwhelmed by the words that had just come out of her mouth. "Are you saying," he gulped nervously, "That you're willing to give this, us, a chance? Even after everything that has transpired between us?"

"I'm saying that I'm willing to try, I think that tonight wasn't a chance meeting, and it was obvious from our kissing earlier that there are a lot of latent feelings between us, we owe it to ourselves to give it a shot. This time we have nothing stopping us – no overbearing fiancés, no pictures hidden in our drawers…unless you have a copy of that small pictorial I did for _Playboy _magazine when I was 19…"

Klaus looked at her shocked. She swatted his arm playfully, "I'm just kidding," then she looked at him seriously, "Unless you do have it."

He laughed as they pulled up outside of her apartment building; he stopped the car and leaned over to give her a kiss goodnight. She put her hand on his shoulder to stop him and he looked at her, questionably.

She swallowed as if working up the courage to say something, "Do you want come up? I mean to my apartment."

"Are you sure?" He asked, "Is it not too soon?"

"I think over three years of wondering is long enough."

He smiled in response, "Then I would love to come up." He switched off the car and made his way around to open the door for her, trying to mask the excitement that he felt. She smirked to herself, very much aware of what the statement she made was doing to him.

They had barely made their way into the elevator of her apartment building when he grabbed her, pushed her against the metal wall and kissed her deeply, letting his tongue intrude her mouth, holding nothing back as he unleashed himself onto her. There were no more doubts, no more fear, just the two of them, acting on the emotions that they both felt since they met. Her hands met around his neck as his rested on her hips, pulling her closer to him, wanting to feel more of her. Her leg just began to hitch up his as the elevator dinged that they were on the right floor. Caroline reluctantly pulled away from him, took his hand and led him to her apartment. He stared at the number on her door as she pulled her keys out of her clutch, and started to unlock. He cocked to the side and said, "Number 107, how appropriate."

"Why's that?" She replied as she opened the door for him to enter.

"107 was the number of my apartment in New York where we had our first kiss," he looked at her with a smile of pure unadulterated happiness on his face. He had never looked more relaxed or more handsome to her, unable to restrain herself any longer, she pulled at his dress shirt, and met his lips once more, deciding right then that nothing could rival the taste of him. He pushed her up against the closed door and as his mouth resumed the now familiar position against hers as his hands started to explore her perfect body, feeling overwhelmingly pleased that she was no longer forbidden, he could kiss her, touch her, and she wanted it too.

"Klaus," she whimpered as he started to kiss her jaw and then started to insert open mouth kisses to her neck, "Maybe we should take off my dress first, before this becomes too out-of-hand and it becomes ruined."

He chuckled at the fact that she could still think of the well being of her dress, when his mind was just clouded with thoughts of her and what he wanted to do to her.

She turned around for him to unzip her and his one hand unzipped the cream gown, his index finger of his other hand traced a line down her spine as it was exposed, making her clench her legs closer together, her desire for him making her lose control. Once her dress was undone, she turned around to face him, looking him straight in the eyes before slowly pealing it off her body, exposing her cream lace bra and lace underwear. Klaus breathed in, trying to take it the sight before him, his body instantly responding to what his heart already knew, she was all he ever wanted.

He continued to watch her as she draped her dress across the armchair in the living room and then started stalking towards him; she smiled at him as she moved to unbutton his shirt, her lips ran over the roughness of his stubble before she started to kiss his neck, ever inch of him exciting her more as the last button was undone, she moved his open shirt over his shoulder and off onto the floor.

"Hey now, love, why does you clothes get to be nicely draped over furniture while mine are thrown on the floor?" He teased.

She removed her lips from his chest and rested a hand on his extremely toned stomach. "Would you like me to stop this and pick up your clothes?" She asked innocently as she looked at him, innocently, through her eyelashes.

"Not at all!" He responded and she smirked as she dug into his hair and pulled him close to kiss him again. Her hand moved to finger his belt buckle, as he pinned her up against the pale blue walls of her apartment. Their pace moved faster as she hurriedly removed his belt and trousers, he kicked of his shoes and maneuvered off his pants without breaking their kiss. She gasped as he lifted her up and she wrapped her legs around him, feeling his erection against her core and this encouraged her further. She was grinding closer and closer to him, her breasts pressing up against his bare chest, her body yearning to have him inside her.

Klaus broke their kiss this time, "Love, I suggest we move to your bedroom or I will end up taking you right here." Caroline shuddered, his voice deep and full of want, making her all the more aroused.

"Yes sure, it's that door over there," she said, pointing to her bedroom door. Klaus made no effort to put her down as he carried her to her bedroom, pushed open the door, and laid her on her bed. She tossed her excess clothes and the magazine that Katherine was reading many moons ago on to the floor as Klaus climbed on top of her and they started kissing again. With her other boyfriends, Caroline always used to get bored of kissing, it was thrilling in the beginning but it became monotonous the more she did it, but with Klaus she felt as if she could do it until the end of time and never tire of him. As he began to kiss down her neck, his tongue doing magical things to her body, she said, "Klaus, do you have protection?"

He looked up at her, alarm apparent in his eyes, "Uh no, I didn't really expect this when I went to stuffy Lady Charles-Smythe's event. Must we stop?" He gulped as he moved to lay on the side of her, his eyes showing how it would shatter him to stop.

She sat up and moved to climb off her bed, "No, it's fine. We have a whole stash of condoms in our bathroom cabinet." She went to the bathroom to fetch one as Klaus asked, "So do you have reason to use them often?"

She was unfazed by his question as she responded, "Not really, but we're levelheaded girls, we keep it there in case of emergencies, like right now" and she handed him one.

She watched as he started to remove his underwear and her eyes darkened, "Do you want help? Do you want me to put it on for you?"

Klaus looked at her and said, "I don't think I have the self control to be able to deal with that, love. Not now."

She nodded as she removed her bra and climbed back onto the bed. He licked his lips as he gave her a sheepish look, "And you couldn't wait until I have this on before you started removing more clothes, do you want me to combust?"

She giggled as he climbed over her once more, the look in his eyes so full of affection and adoration that she felt that her heart might burst, no one but him had ever looked at her in that way.

His right hand moved by her left side, from her legs right up to her breast, as he cupped her, massaging her mound, putting just enough pressure on it, causing her to become short of breath. He kissed her jaw again and then slowly moved down her body until his mouth met his hand and her latched onto her, his tongue swirling against her nipple while his other hand gave attention to her other breast before he alternated again. She cried out in ecstasy, he entire body burning with need for him.

She grabbed his head on either side and pulled him up until he was level with her face. "Klaus, I need you inside me now," she panted out. She couldn't be bothered with how uncouth she sounded, she could not take another minute of his teasing, her body was roaring for him.

He smirked proudly as without preamble, he thrust in her, her body was shocked for a minute with the size of his length, she was not accustomed to being with someone who was so blessed, but her body grew familiar with it as it stretched to accommodate him, as if it was expecting him.

"You are truly, the most beautiful woman, I have ever had the privileged to encounter," he breathed out at her as he continue to thrust, her bed shaking with the pressure, her slick walls welcoming him in.

"Shut up and kiss me, you're distracting yourself from the task at hand," she retorted as he chuckled and kissed her and his right hand moved between their bodies and started to finger her core.

"Klaus!" She exclaimed, her nails scratching down his back, neither of them caring whether it left scars. Her ankles locked around his behind as she pushed him deeper, desperate to feel more of him, as his hands continued to worship her body. She cried out in pleasure as he hit her clitoris, calling out his name like a lament as she reached a form of ecstasy she had never achieved before. Her hands that were caressing his back moved up to his neck and pulled him into a passionate kiss as they both came together and he thrust a few more times inside of her before pulling out and collapsing next to her. Both their breathing heavy as they were coming down from their respective highs, she turned towards him and smiled widely, "That was amazing! Why did it take us so long to get here?!"

He chuckled as he cupped her face and his rubbed his thumb against a cheek before he looked around his room and his eyes hell on a dark painting on the opposite wall, "That painting. Where did you get it?"

She turned over onto her back and followed his gaze, "Oh that piece, my dad bought it for me for my high school graduation. I know it's really dark and most people find it freaky but I love it, it's like the painter had been through so much hardships but they still believe that they can make it through."

Klaus looked at her amazed, "I know who the painter is."

"Really? Who is it?"

He coughed, "I painted it after Hendrik's death. I was so distraught, but a letter from an unknown girl gave me hope made me smile again, even though I was in so much pain. But my parents cut me off after the accident so I had to sell my paintings to pay for college. It's quite fitting for you to end up with one of them."

She moved to closer to him as her fingers danced across his chest, "I told you, we were predestined and now our time has come," she whispered to him as she nibbled his ear before climbing astride him for another round.

* * *

**_A/N: Yay they finally done it! I've been wanting to write them having sex for a long time but the time was never right. _**

**_Please review, my last plea to you, as a goodbye gift to me! _**

**_Some of you messaged me asking for a sequel, but in order for there to be a sequel, Klaus and Caroline needed to have more drama and complications, but I feel like they had enough bad times and they deserve the chance to be happy and I don't want to stretch their story out so much, that you guys begin to hate them. Let's rather leave them on a good note. In turn, I will write random one-shots of them in the future, moments of their time together, which I will post here if you continue to follow. _**

**_I currently have no plans to write another multi-chapter fanfiction I have some drabble and one-shot series planned as well as the ones that I'm currently writing. I will only write another multi-chapter if I get a great idea and have a full plot planned out, so never say never. You can follow me here or on tumblr at klaussnowflake._**

**_Thanks again for being such awesome readers, I love you all more than you could ever imagine. Sorry to beg again, but please please review!_**


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